Fallen, injured horse rider rescued on Pacific Crest Trail

A 72-year-old Eugene man injured in a fall from his horse on the Pacific Crest Trail Sunday morning was rescued by two counties’ search and rescue organizations and flown by Life Flight helicopter to St. Charles Bend, where he was in fair condition Sunday evening, officials said.

Linn County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue was notified around 10:10 a.m. that Melvin Van Cleve had fallen off a horse on the PCT about 1 ¼ miles north of the Highway 20 intersection, near Ray Benson Snow-Park, said Deschutes County sheriff’s Deputy Jim Whitcomb, the county SAR’s assistant coordinator.

Authorities later learned Van Cleve had been riding with five other family members and friends, on a day’s ride to the Upper and Lower Berley Lakes, when Van Cleve’s horse became spooked by a snag near the trail, causing him to fall.

Deschutes County SAR was asked to assist Linn County’s unit, based on the proximity of the SAR teams to the incident, Whitcomb said.

Two DCSO SAR members and a friend were hiking the PCT on their way to summit Three Fingered Jack. After receiving the request, they turned around to make initial contact with the fallen rider. In the meantime, a Linn County SAR deputy, two U.S. Forest Service officers, Sisters Fire personnel, nine DCSO SAR volunteers and a DCSO SAR deputy responded to the incident.

Whitcomb said Van Cleve had sustained injuries that required transportation on a wheeled litter, down to the trailhead at Highway 20.

But during the litter transport, rescues determined Van Cleve’s injuries were potentially life-threatening and an air ambulance was called.

A Life Flight helicopter crew was dispatched to a landing zone set up across the highway, and it took off about 2 p.m. to bring Van Cleve to the Bend hospital, Whitcomb said.