Search and rescue crews had a busy start to the week, responding to at least three calls Monday and Tuesday, including an incident where a Vancouver teen got sick while hiking near Mount St. Helens.
According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a report of a hiker struggling to continue on the Jule Lake trail system near Mount St. Helens.
Grant Summerson, 17, of Vancouver had become ill and was having trouble continuing, his mother told the sheriff’s office. Summerson and his hiking partner, Brianna L. Grosz, 18, of Brush Prairie, were walking counter clockwise on the trail, the mother said, adding that he was dizzy, had to lie down several times, and that the pair was out of water.
The Volcano Rescue Team, North Country EMS and a Skamania County sheriff’s deputy responded. Search teams found the hikers at around 5 a.m. Wednesday on the Loowit Trail and brought them back to the Blue Lake trailhead in Cowlitz County to meet family.
Searchers helped two other parties on Monday, the sheriff’s office said.
Around 10 a.m. Monday, the office learned of someone missing around National Forest Road 25, south of Randle. A man said his girlfriend had planned a solo camping trip at Iron Creek Campground, north of Mount St. Helens, and that she intended to hike and camp back to Oregon. She was five days overdue, the caller said.
After other search efforts failed, searchers Tuesday secured the help of an aircraft. Prior to takeoff, the man called to explain there was a misunderstanding, and that his girlfriend was fine and at the coast. The search was called off, the sheriff’s office said.
Also on Monday, the sheriff’s office received word of a group that lost track of a member while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
The group was hiking from the Cultus Creek trailhead out of Trout Lake. One member of the group went missing, and the man who contacted the sheriff’s office doubled back. He found another hiker who said the missing man was walking south and appeared to be fine.
The sheriff’s office said the missing hiker had pre-existing medical conditions that necessitated a response, and search teams were dispatched.
A deputy checking roads in the area caught up with the hiker at the intersection of the trail and National Forest Road 60. The hiker was out of water but in good health. He was reunited with his group at Trout Lake.
