TROUTDALE Ore. (KPTV) - With summer weather approaching, more people are out and about for a hike.
Corbett Fire and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office shared some safety tips on Friday for enjoying the Columbia River Gorge.
MCSO said some people go hiking unprepared by walking in flip-flops or not taking extra water. They’ve also found the majority of people who need to be rescued are not prepared for trail and weather conditions or become disoriented and lost because they are unfamiliar with the area.
Corbet Fire said that since April, there have been three incidents, including one deadly fall, that happened when hikers veered off the trail.
“In the Gorge there’s a cliff, there’s loose dirt. There’s everything when you go off the trail,” said Chief Rick Wunsch with CFD “It is a concern for us like a mention that a lot of the trails are still kind of in that winter stage where they haven’t been groomed yet by the forest service.”
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MCSO said the first thing to do if someone gets lost is to stay put, and think through your actions from the trailhead on. Try to identify your current location, the last place you knew for sure, or the point where you made an error. Take stock of your current situation. Your intended route, equipment, time of day, physical condition, terrain, and anything else that may impact how you proceed. Communicate if possible. Text messages need less service than voice, and will continue to ‘try’ for a period. They also suggested people learn how to find their location using their phone’s GPS. They also recommended people only use their phones for emergency communications and put their phones on battery-saving mode before hitting the trail.
“If they are the ones that are lost, 911 is going to start getting a location on that phone,” said Brian Gerkman with MCSO. “[MCSO] will establish what trailhead they started from and what trailhead would be easiest to access.”
Gerkman said don’t follow the water if you’re in the Gorge because it will lead to waterfalls and cliffs and will make it harder for rescue teams to find people.
Youth volunteers recommend a list of 10 essentials to bring along:
- Navigation: map, compass, altimeter, GPS device, personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger
- Headlamp or flashlight: plus, extra batteries
- Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes and sunscreen
- First aid: including foot care and insect repellent (as needed)
- Knife: plus, a gear repair kit
- Fire: matches, lighter, tinder and/or stove
- Shelter: carried at all times
- Extra food: Beyond the minimum expectation
- Extra water: Beyond the minimum expectation
- Extra clothes: Beyond the minimum expectation
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How to prepare for a hike in the Columbia River Gorge; What to do when lost - Fox 12 Oregon
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