Busy summer weekend for DCSO Search and Rescue assisting 2 injured bike racers, hiker with medical issue

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue volunteers had a busy summer weekend, called out to assist two injured bike racers and a hiker with a medical issue.

Around 10 a.m. Saturday, SAR crews were dispatched to the area of Swampy Lakes Loop Trail near the Swede Ridge Trail intersection, Sergeant Jason Wall said. Initial reports advised a mountain biker who was racing in the High Cascades 100 had crashed and severely injured his knee. The rider was not able to ride out of the area, nor was he able to walk and was requesting assistance from SAR.  

A sheriff's office Special Services sergeant and deputy, along with nine SAR volunteers responded to the injured mountain biker's location. Additional Search and Rescue teams arrived at the staging location and responded to the injured biker with a wheeled litter.

Adventure Medics who were hired by the race organization were on scene as well.  The patient's injury was evaluated, and his leg was placed in a splint. The injured biker was transported by wheeled litter about a mile to the staging location, then transported by Search and Rescue vehicle to the Swampy Lakes Sno-Park trailhead, where Bend Fire paramedics transported the biker to St. Charles Bend.

Around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the sheriff’s office responded to a second injured racer in the High Cascades 100. This racer was suffering from heat exhaustion on the Flag line Trail #41, located southwest of Bend.  

Twelve SAR volunteers, a Special Services sergeant and deputy responded to the scene. At the time of Search and Rescue’s arrival, Adventure Medics were also on scene. The patient's medical condition was evaluated, and he was provided IV fluids. The patient's medical condition improved, and he requested to walk out of the location, Wall said.  

On Sunday at around 1:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office responded to Peter Skene Ogden Trail near the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Initial reports detailed an 80-year-old male hiker was having an unknown medical emergency.  The hiker was en route with his family to the Paulina Plunge location on the trail. When the group stopped to rest, the male lost consciousness for a brief period of time. 

La Pine Fire paramedics responded to this call, though due to the patient's location on the trail, about approximately 1.8 miles from the nearest ambulance-accessible location, they requested the assistance of DCSO SAR volunteers.

A Search and Rescue volunteer was able to reach a person within the group, who advised the male hiker was now in and out of consciousness and vomiting. An air ambulance was contacted and responded to the area to assist. 

Around 4 p.m., the patient was contacted and loaded into the wheeled litter and transported to La Pine Fire medics who staged at the trailhead and brought the patient to St. Charles Bend for evaluation.