Had walked about 25 miles, tried to start warming fire
By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.COM
A Bend woman on a hike to summit the South and Middle Sisters became lost after nightfall Saturday, prompting a all-night search on foot, by horseback and from the air. She turned up Sunday morning, having walked some 25 miles - cold, hungry and tired but otherwise alright, authorities said.
Kirsten Hillary Williams, 20, and her black lab left Devils Lake Trailhead around 1 p.m. Saturday, planning to reach the summit of the South Sister and Middle Sister, but ending up spending a long, cold night wandering in the Three Sisters Wilderness, said Deschutes County sheriff's Cpl. Wayne Morgan.
A friend of Williams called 911 dispatchers around 12:15 a.m. to report that Williams was overdue and believed to be lost in the wilderness area, Morgan said in a news release.
The friend last talked to Williams on her cell phone around 9:30 p.m., he said, and she believed she was north of the South Sister summit at the time.
Several of Williams' friends hiked up the Green Lakes Trail to look for her, and after the 911 call, sheriff's deputies and about 21 Sheriff's Search and Rescue members responded to the call, using ground teams, horse teams and air resources through the night.
Around 7:30 a.m., Williams called 911 from a convenience store in Sisters. She said she'd walked out of the wilderness, onto Three Creeks Road, where she flagged down a woodcutter who gave her a ride into town.
Williams' cell phone battery had gone dead shortly after she last talked with her friend Saturday night, Morgan said.
Williams was unprepared to be out overnight - "or even after dark," Morgan said, as she brought "very little food or drink, no flashlight and no compass."
"She did have a map and a lighter," the corporal said. "At some point during the night, Williams burned the map in a failed attempt to start a warming fire."
Morgan said Williams walked about 25 miles, with substantial elevation changes, before making her way to the road where the woodcutter picked her up. She did not need medical attention, he added.
The sheriff's corporal encouraged people to be prepared when traveling into wilderness areas.
Always let someone know what your proposed route will be, he said, and be aware of how much daylight you'll have, planning your trips accordingly.
Always carry a light source, in case darkness does fall before your return, as well as a map, compass, adequate food and water, and "other essentials to ensure your safety," Morgan said.
"Especially with winter approaching, the environment can change rapidly, making pre-planning even more important," the corporal added.
