A female hiker that lost the trail near the summit of Mount McLoughlin, the highest point in southern Oregon, was rescued by Jackson County search and rescue teams Friday night.
“The hiker lost sight of the pole marking system on the summit area of the mountain and left the trail,” a post from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said. “The hiker attempted to self-rescue by hiking towards Fish Lake but was unable to do so before dark due to very difficult terrain.”
The climb up Mount McLoughlin includes hiking just under 10 miles round-trip and climbing just under 4,000 feet. It follows a well-marked trail until the final 1,000 feet, when it follows a rocky scramble to the top.
Rescuers monitored the hiker’s position via cellphone until the phone lost battery power near nightfall, officials said.
The hiker was not identified by police in the post on social media.
“(Search and rescue) had personnel already deployed to the hiker’s last known location after receiving her call for help,” a news release said.