At 1411 hours the Team was called to assist a 25-year-old female hiker who had downclimbed a cliff face to a ledge, and did not feel able to either ascend or descend safely from her position. She stated that she had summited North Peak earlier in the day, and had gotten off-route on her descent. She called down to a nearby fisherman who was equipped with an Inreach device, and the Sheriff’s Office was contacted via the Inreach.

The Team staged at the Saddlebag Lake Dam trailhead, and a field team of 7 rescuers hiked in. The reporting party was located on the hike in, and he went back with the field team to point out the subject’s location.

The field team ascended a steep talus/brush slope to a position approximately 30’ below the subject, then one rescuer climbed to her position, and lowered her to safe ground with a tree anchor and a climbing rope and the sound-victim harness.

Rescuer approaching the subject. Image by A. Tozier

Preparing to lower the subject to safe ground. Image by B. Beck

Subject downclimbing with belay. Image by J. Bush

The subject was uninjured and was able to hike out unassisted, and she accompanied the field team back to the trailhead where her vehicle was located. The operation was terminated at 2017 hours.

Hiking out to the trailhead. Image by B. Beck

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Buchanan, Bush, Evans, Haugh, Patterson, Senior