Two lost South Sister hikers rescued after chilly night

Two first-time South Sister climbers from Corvallis called for help Saturday night after their lost their way during their descent and ended up off-trail in an area of icy rocks after darkness fell. They spent a chilly night on the 10,358-foot peak but were found in good condition Sunday morning, officials said.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue got a call shortly after 9 p.m. from Mohammed Alnemer, 22, who said he and companion Ananiya Demessie, 19, had lost their way during their descent, said Lt. Bryan Husband.

Alnemer’s 911 call pinpointed the hikers’ location as being southwest of the main climbers’ trail, at about 8,200 feet elevaton, Husband said.

The two men reported having plenty of food and water, but only one had warm clothing. Husband said it was their first time hiking the mountain, and they had not planned on staying overnight and did not have shelter supplies or means to make a warming fire. Cellphone reception was lost a short time later.

Deputies and three SAR volunteers began planning the rescue operation, but the mission’s complexities included complete darkness, steep terrain and snow and ice conditions.

“It was determined air and ground resources could not safely deploy until morning daylight hours,” Husband said in a news release.

Around 6:45 a.m. Sunday, a LifeFlight helicopter from Redmond carried two SAR volunteers to the open saddle area northwest of Moraine Lake, along the South Sister climbing trail. The helicopter crew also tried to spot the climbers from the area, based on their last known cellphone location, without success.

The two SAR volunteers began their climb in an attempt to find the pair or their tracks, Husband said. On the way, they contacted other hikers in the area, asking them to watch for the men and to call 911 if they came across them. Meanwhile, a dozen other SAR volunteers were called in to help search for Alnemer and Demessie.

Husband said they also learned the pair had been hiking with two other friends, who turned back before reaching the summit. They got a ride into Bend and contacted deputies, but had no further information to provide, other than they had all driven over together from Corvallis.

Around 9:40 a.m., dispatchers got a call from hikers on the climbers’ trail, reporting they were with Alnemer and Demessie. They reported they were at the “false summit,” at about 8,870 feet elevation, and that the pair were cold and tired but otherwise in good condition.

The two SAR volunteers headed there and confirmed the men were in good physical condition, Husband said. Alnemer and Demessie were escorted down the climbers’ trail and back to Devil’s Lake Trailhead, arriving at their car around 12:40 p.m., declining any further medical treatment.

The climb “took longer than they were expecting,” Husband told NewsChannel 21. “On their way down, they got off trail, and got stuck in a spot where they didn’t think could move or change location” safely.

Coincidentally, a SAR team had conducted a training exercise on Saturday with a climb of South Sister and had just concluded that around nightfall, a few hours before the search effort geared up, Husband said.

Husband concluded his news release with this reminder:

“The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the recreating community as we enter the fall and winter seasons, weather patterns can change quickly in the surrounding mountains.

“Easily identifiable trails can quickly become covered in snow and ice, leading to lost hiker scenarios. It’s recommended to pre-plan hikes and research the surrounding area.

“Always carry the “10 Essentials for Wilderness Survival”, which would include sources for: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, repair kit/tools, nutrition, hydration and emergency shelter,” Husband wrote.