Deschutes County Search and Rescue Foundation

Black Hawk Helicopter and 22 Search & Rescue Volunteers Respond to Injured Snowboarder Near Tam McArthur Rim

Bend, Ore. — A coordinated rescue involving an Oregon Army National Guard HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and 22 Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteers brought an injured snowboarder to safety on Monday, March 30. The call for help came in at 2:40 p.m., after a 44-year-old woman from Bend was injured in the Tam McArthur Rim area at the base of Broken Top Mountain. She was found on steep, snow-covered terrain in the upper third of the slope at approximately 7,350 feet in elevation.

The nature of the injuries and the terrain required an immediate and technical response. A three-person team of Advanced Life Support SAR and Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) members was taken to the area by Air Link, but weather conditions prevented them from reaching the scene. They were dropped off as close as possible at the Lower Three Creeks Snow Park, where a Good Samaritan got them closer. The team then skied approximately two miles uphill to reach the snowboarder.

Additional SAR resources, snowmobile operators, skiers, and medical team members also responded. A break in the weather allowed the Oregon Army National Guard HH-60 Black Hawk, with a paramedic on board, to reach the location at 8:20 p.m. The woman was stabilized and flown to St. Charles-Bend for further care.

This rescue was possible thanks to the work of 22 highly trained SAR volunteers and a DCSO deputy. They were assisted by the Oregon State SAR Coordinator from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, AirLink Critical Care Transport, the Oregon Army National Guard based at McNary Field in Salem, Oregon, and Three Sisters Backcountry Yurts.

Two Climbers Rescued Overnight After Becoming Stuck on a Ledge at Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park, Ore. -- Two climbers stranded on a narrow ledge nearly 400 feet above the ground were safely rescued at Smith Rock State Park after a complex nighttime operation conducted by Deschutes County Search & Rescue (SAR) volunteers.

At 8:00 p.m., Monday, March 23, SAR was activated after two male climbers in their late 20s became stuck during a descent on the west side of Smith Rock State Park in an area known to climbers as “Wherever I May Roam.” The pair, visiting from Eugene and Salem, began their climb around 12:00 p.m., pausing at times to let other climbers pass by.

During their rappel, the climbers’ ropes became stuck in rocks, preventing them from continuing downward. Due to the highly technical nature of the situation, SAR deployed several of its most experienced volunteer climbers. The rescue required navigating steep, exposed terrain entirely at night, with cold conditions adding to the complexity.

Rescuers reached the stranded climbers, secured them on ropes, and lowered them safely to the base of the route. Neither climber was injured, though both were cold and not adequately prepared for nighttime temperatures. They were brought to the ground at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24.

This incident highlights the skill and dedication of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue volunteers, whose advanced climbing abilities and willingness to operate in hazardous conditions made this safe outcome possible.