News Release from: Marion Co. Sheriff's Office
HIKERS RESCUED AFTER SPENDING THE NIGHT IN THE WOODS
Posted: June 29th, 2011 3:56 PM
Two Silverton hikers are resting at home after unexpectedly spending the night in the woods near Crooked Finger Road, east of Scotts Mills.
Joshua Rogers, 18, and Steven Vaughn, 20, left Silverton at 5:00pm, Tuesday evening for a hike in the area of Camp Dakota. Family members called the Marion County Sheriff's Office early Wednesday morning to report that hadn't returned home as expected. The hikers were not equipped with camping gear, but did have some water and cell phones. The family was able to send occasional text messages, but the hikers were unable to provide details as to their location. Ultimately, their cell phone batteries went dead. Due to coverage issues, the cell provider was unable to pin-point their location.
Sr. Deputy Dave Zahn organized a search effort, but held off sending searchers into the woods until daylight. Family members and friends assisted in the search, and located the hiker's 1991 Jeep on Abiqua Road, west of Crooked Finger Road.
Twenty five members of the Marion County Search & Rescue Team 18 and Jeep Patrol responded to the area to assist in the search. Around 7:46am, Vaughn's father heard his son yelling for assistance but due to the dense terrain, he was unable to get to him.
Deputies and rescue searchers on foot and driving 4-wheel vehicles reached the hikers at 11:45am and brought them out.
Vaughn & Rogers said they started hiking down to the Albiqua drainage when Rogers sprained his ankle. They were unable to climb back up the steep hill, so they decided to walk downstream, hoping to find a way out or someone to help them.
Around midnight, they built a shelter and spent the night. The two clamed that built the shelter using skills they learned from watching survival shows on television. Rogers' ankle felt better on Wednesday morning, so they started climbing back up the hill toward a logging road. They heard the calls of Vaughn's father and remained in place until rescued by members of Team 18.
Both refused medical treatment and returned home with family.
Deputy Zahn offered advice to anyone headed into the woods to hike, "Be sure to have a plan, take along appropriate supplies, a cell phone and use a GPS mapping unit when possible. Know your limits and hike with a partner or tell someone where you're going. We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, but we also want everyone to come home at the end of their adventure."
No photos from the search effort are available.
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