GRESHAM, Ore. — A missing Gresham woman and her mother were found safe after they spent the night in their car, which was stuck in the snow near Mt. Hood.
Lauren Zanko, 27, and her mother, Tracy, who is visiting from Tennessee, went for a day trip to Mt. Hood, and told Lauren's fiance they would be hiking at Lost Lake Wilderness. The women, who weren't prepared for an overnight trip, hadn't been seen since Sunday afternoon, police said.
Their car, a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq, got stuck in the snow off Lolo Pass Road.
When they didn’t return or call in, police and sheriff's deputies launched a search.
Late Monday morning, the women were able to climb a hill and get cell service, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the hikers were stuck in a snow drift on the Hood River County side of Lolo pass. Family members went to help dig them out.
We went to check out conditions and found a wide range on the road leading up to the pass from Zig Zag.
First, we lost all cell service soon after we turned on to Lolo Pass road from Highway 26. Then we found miles of bare road. But as it gained elevation the road collected more and more snow. We went around one corner and stopped. A snow drift covered the road and while there were tire tracks through it, we suspected it was deep enough to high-center our news car. So we stopped.
Locals told me some people get in trouble because they plow on through such drifts to reach bare pavement on the other side but then a few turns later run into even deeper snow and get stuck.
Its unclear if that happened with Zanko. She declined to talk with reporters.
It is a good reminder to all of us to make sure we have emergency supplies in our car or truck when venturing into the hills.
“If you're gonna go hiking, especially this time of year, go prepared. Bring some blankets. Bring warm clothes. Bring some food. Bring some water just in case you do get stuck—do get stranded. Want to make sure you're still okay by the time we can get to you,” said Officer Ben Costigan from Gresham Police.