Searchers find 3 lost hikers in Mill Creek Wilderness

A Prineville man, his girlfriend and her daughter became lost while hiking in the Mill Creek Wilderness area of the Ochoco Mountains on Sunday, prompting a call for help and a search that found them after dark, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said Monday.

Deputies took a report around 5:30 p.m. of the lost group, said Michael Ryan, sheriff’s office emergency manager.

It was reported that Pablo Quesada, 30, had gone into the Twin Pillars area with his girlfriend and her daughter, Ryan said. The group was hiking the Twin Pillars trail when they took a wrong turn on what they thought was the main trail, he said.

The group soon became disoriented and continued down the canyon in an attempt to find the trail, Ryan said. After several hours, they ran out of water and became overheated, at which point the woman called 911 to request help.

Crook County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Crook County Fire & Rescue and sheriff’s deputies responded to begin a search of the area.

Shortly after 10 p.m., a sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer found the group on a ridge about a half-mile south of the Twin Pillars and 300 yards east of the trail, slightly dehydrated but otherwise in good condition, Ryan said.

The three had wandered about a mile from the trail, he added.

After the group was given some water and rested a bit, they were escorted back to the trail and back to their car at Wildcat Campground, Ryan said.