Injured La Pine snowmobiler rescued after crash near Paulina Lake

Life Flight air ambulance had to turn back due to poor weather

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A La Pine man was seriously injured Sunday afternoon when he lost control of his snowmobile and crashed into a tree near Paulina Lake east of La Pine, prompting a rescue effort, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Dispatchers received a 911 call around 2:20 p.m. regarding the 32-year-old snowmobile rider who crashed into a tree on snowmobile Trail 4, said Deputy Joshua Westfall, assistant search and rescue coordinator. The caller said others on the scene had begun to render aid.

Three sheriff’s deputies and a U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement officer initially responded to the scene, as well as nine Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers, including a doctor.

The Forest Service officer and SAR doctor traveled by snowmobile more than three miles from Te Mile Sno-Park, reaching the crash victim around 3:40 p.m., Westfall said. The other SAR volunteers also traveled to the scene by snowmobile, with the SAR snow ambulance in tow.

The snowmobiler was treated at the scene and taken in the snow ambulance to the sno-park, arriving around 4:35 p.m. A La Pine Fire & Rescue ambulance crew than took the man to St. Charles Bend.

Due to the significant injuries, a Life Flight helicopter had begun heading to the scene, Westfall said, but had to turn back due to poor weather conditions.

It was determined the snowmobiler was negotiating a curve when he lost control and struck a tree with the right side of his sled, Westfall said.