Lost hiker rescued in Badlands Wilderness Area

A Washington state woman who became lost during an off-trail hike in the Badlands Wilderness Area east of Bend was found in good condition Friday morning by Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers, officials said.

The SAR team got a call around 8:45 a.m. reporting the lost hiker, identified as Samantha Riedman, 21, of Olympia, Washington, said Sgt. Ronny Dozier, SAR operations manager.

Three SAR teams were sent to the area, and found Riedman around 11:25 a.m. between the Badlands Rock Trail and Tumulus Trail, Dozier said.

They learned the woman had decided to hike off-trail, became disoriented and was unable to find her way back to her camp, the sergeant said.

She was found in good condition and esocrted back to her camp, Dozier said.

The Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team “would like to remind people to please hike on existing trails when hiking a trail system,” Dozier said in a news release, as well as to “take plenty of snacks and water, as well as a reliable GPS.”