Photo: Hood River County Sherriff's Office
Two hikers in the Columbia River Gorge were on the Gorton creek Trail near Wyeth Friday afternoon when they found an injured man.
They were about a mile from the trailhead and tried to help the man hike out, but his injuries were too severe.
The Hood River County Sheriff's Office along with Oregon State Police and Cascade Locks Fire responded to help the man.
He told them he started hiking in the area on Tuesday. He had fallen down a 50-foot cliff and may have had other falls during that time.
The hiker's injuries were severe enough that rescuers weren't able to carry him out, so they request a helicopter extraction.
A Coast Guard helicopter responded from Air Station Columbia River.
The hiker was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in stable condition.
Search & Rescue Coordinator Deputy Chris Guertin said, “He was extremely fortunate. Had those hikers not located him, he had a very low chance of survival through the night. The work of the search and rescue teams, first responders, and the quick response from the Coast Guard led to a successful outcome today.”