DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KATU) — A 14-year-old girl from Lake Oswego, Oregon, was rescued by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office after a serious snowmobile accident near Elk Lake Loop. The incident occurred just south of the Sunset View Day Use Area at approximately 3:53 p.m. when the rider went off-trail and collided with a tree, sustaining serious injuries.
Due to the severity of her injuries and the challenging terrain, nine Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office, including snowmobile and medical teams, responded swiftly. While en route, deputies were informed that the patient had briefly lost consciousness, prompting the immediate dispatch of AirLink, critical care transport, for evacuation assistance.
AirLink initially faced difficulties landing near the crash site due to terrain constraints. However, SAR teams quickly established a safe landing zone on nearby Trail 5, located at GPS coordinates 43.9711, -121.7979…