MT HOOD, Ore. — Seven lost hikers were rescued Monday after spending the night in the woods while trying to get to Ramona Falls, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
The hikers, all of whom were in their 20s, left for a day hike to the waterfall around 2 p.m. Sunday. They ended up on the wrong trail after reading some inaccurate information online, the sheriff's office said.
As they hiked along, believing they were going the right way, they ran into an "obstacle course of downed trees," CCSO said in a Facebook post. They started to head back, but it was getting dark and by 10 p.m., they were exhausted.
The hikers decided to set up a makeshift campsite for the night.
After a sleepless night, one of the hikers was reportedly too tired to keep walking, so four of the hikers went to find help while the other three stayed behind.
A Clackamas County Search and Rescue (CSAR) crew found the hikers' cars at a trailhead around 9 a.m. Monday, and a group of about 20 volunteers went to find them.
The crew located all seven hikers by 1 p.m. and led them to safety, carrying one of them on a specialized wheeled stretcher.
The hikers and crew made it out safely around 8 p.m. Monday. The hikers had spent about 30 hours in the woods.
CSAR recommends that all day-hikers prepare for the unexpected by bringing overnight gear, food, water and GPS devices. They also recommend checking in with your local ranger station before entering a wilderness area.
