MOUNT MCLOUGHLIN, Ore. - Jackson County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team members successfully located and rescued a 40-year-old Central Point man from Mt. McLoughlin at 9:30 PM last night. While the mountain’s daytime high temperatures reached into the 80’s, the overnight low temperature dipped to 29 degrees near dawn, making for dangerous conditions.
At 7:00 AM on Saturday, September 28, the man set out alone to climb the 9,493-foot Mt. McLoughlin. After summiting, he began his return but shortly lost the trail and veered south into untracked terrain. After several hours travel over broken volcanic rock he texted his girlfriend advising he was lost, running out of food and water, with his cell phone battery running low.
At about 5:00 PM he texted a request for help. His girlfriend immediately relayed the request for rescue to ECSO Dispatch, who notified SAR. Using cell phone forensics, SAR was able to pinpoint his location and set out to reach him.
SAR advised the man to sit down and stay put to await help. At dark, wearing only a cotton t-shirt and shorts, he was out of water and food, and suffering from mild cramping in his legs due to dehydration and fatigue.
SAR members hiked up from Highway 140 through dense foliage and over lava fields consisting of boulders the size of small cars. Searchers successfully located him around 9:30 PM. A physician and SAR volunteer team member evaluated him at the scene and after rehydrating and feeding him high energy snacks, determined that he was able to hike out with assistance. After reaching Highway 140, he was shuttled back to his car at the Pacific Crest Trail trailhead. He drove home on his own at about 12:30 AM.
Jackson County SAR Sgt. Shawn Richards reminds people that while Mt. McLoughlin is enticing to hike because it is visible from the Rogue Valley and looks easy, hikers should take more water than they think they need and never hike alone. Hikers should have a good paper or electronic map and familiarize themselves with the route, as it is very hard to identify near the summit. Moisture wicking clothing (not cotton) worn in layers, and a wind shell are essential to survival.
Sgt. Richards commended the man for sitting down to await help as this made finding him much easier and added greatly to the safety of the SAR team sent to rescue him. Thank you to the SAR volunteers who answered the call for help.