DCSAR Performs Night Rescue at Smith Rock

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SAR performs night rescue at Smith Rock State Park

Released by: Deputy Jeff Winters
Assistant SAR Coordinator

Occurred: 06/03/2017 at 7:51 p.m.

Location: Smith Rock State Park

Fallen Hiker: 14 year old male
From Terrebonne Oregon

NARRATIVE

On 06/03/2017 just before 8:00 p.m., Deschutes County 911 received a call from a juvenile male reporting that his friend, another juvenile male, had fallen while climbing on some rocks near the north east area of the park.

The reporting party stated his friend had fallen approximately 20 feet down into a canyon onto some rocks and sustained injuries that left him unable to climb back up and out of the canyon under his own power.

Medics from Redmond Fire and Rescue’s Terrebonne station were first on scene and rappelled down to assess the juvenile’s injuries. It was determined that the injuries were non-life threatening, but that SAR would be needed to extract the subject.

Just after dark, one Special Services Deputy and 17 SAR volunteers arrived at the park. Using just head lamps and flashlights, the SAR volunteers, led by members from SAR’s Mountain Rescue Unit, began setting up a rope rescue system.

Upon completion of the rescue system, the juvenile was packaged into a liter and hoisted up and out of the canyon, about 15 vertical feet. At about 10:45 p.m., the SAR volunteers were able to carry the boy in the liter about 200 yards, cross country, to the parking lot where he was turned over to his waiting father who stated he would be seeking medical treatment for his son’s injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office investigation determined the fall to be accidental and most likely the result of carelessness by the two boys. The two had been scrambling on rocks in an area of vertical and near vertical rock faces without any rock climbing equipment, training or experience.

The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public that a fall from almost any height can result in serious injury and to exercise caution when recreating around cliffs and rock faces.

Contact Info:
SheriffPIO@deschutes.org