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Released by: Deputy Donny Patterson - Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator
Date/time: 5/25/22 at 5:06 PM
Location: Forest Service Road 370 / Forest Service Road 380 - Near Broken Top
Rescued Subject: 56-year-old male from Switzerland
On 05-25-22 at about 5:06 PM, Deschutes County 911 Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a lost mountain bike rider near Broken Top. The rider reported encountering a mountain lion while riding his bike on Forest Service Road 370. The rider left the trail (that was covered in deep soft snow) to avoid the cat, he became disoriented, and was unable to reacquire the trail. The rider requested the assistance of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team as he was exhausted, and did not feel he could find his way back out to the trail.
Two Search and Rescue volunteers responded to the request and deployed to the area in a tracked ARGO. The volunteers drove up to the area and located the subject who was unharmed at approximately 7:49 PM. The subject was then provided a ride out of the area, though in the process of this rescue the ARGO became stuck in deep soft snow and could not be winched out.
An additional SAR page was sent out for a snowmobile team to assist with this rescue. Three additional SAR team volunteers responded to this page. Snowmobiles were then transported to Todd Lake and they deployed shortly after their arrival towards the other SAR team members. After reaching the ARGO team both teams worked diligently to free the stuck ARGO.
At approximately 2:00 AM, both SAR teams arrived back to their vehicles with the lost subject and they transported him to his vehicle, which was parked at the Cascade Lakes Visitor Center.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with five K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 259 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 191 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.