[pct-l] Rescued PCT hikers

[Stephen Clark]

 2 hikers plucked from snowy Pacific Crest Trail

SEATTLE (AP) — A Coast Guard helicopter on Tuesday night rescued two of
four hikers who have been the subject of rescue efforts in remote parts of
southwest Washington, a sheriff's officer said.

Search officials planned to renew their efforts Wednesday to locate a man
and a woman missing in separate areas of Skamania County.

The helicopter hoisted Matt Margiotta and Kyla Arnold from deep snow on the
Pacific Crest Trail north of Trout Lake, Wash., Undersheriff Dave Cox said.
They apparently required no medical aid, he said.

They called for help Monday after snow obscured their route. They had
walked all the way from Mexico on the trail only to run into early season
snowfall in their attempt to reach the Canadian border.

Ground searchers who had the pair's GPS location got within three-quarters
of a mile of them on Tuesday before waist-deep snow and fading daylight
forced them to turn back.

Rescue officials are still trying to locate a third hiker on the Pacific
Crest Trail.

Alejandra Wilson was reported overdue on Monday after she failed to check
in with her father, Dane Wilson, of Portland, Ore., as expected. She was
believed to be about a day's hike ahead of the other pair, or about 20
miles farther north.

Her father reported that he last heard from her Friday as she was leaving
Trout Lake, a tiny hamlet south of Mount Adams, for White Pass, Cox said.

More than 40 ground searchers and four dog teams searched Tuesday for
Kristopher Zitzewitz, 31, of Portland, who became separated from his
partner in the Big Lava Beds area of Gifford Pinchot National Forest on
Saturday.

Cox said his office has requested that many ground searchers again for
Wednesday, as well as ATVs, 4-wheeled vehicles, and air support if weather
permits.

Margiotta, Arnold and Wilson all kept online journals of their travels.
Arnold last updated hers on Friday and described having recently
encountered Wilson.

Arnold also wrote of having nearly run out of food after storms forced her
and Margiotta to huddle under a tarp for four days — long delaying their
arrival in Trout Lake.

"We finally made it to Trout Lake today and another huge storm is rolling
in," Arnold wrote. "Everyone says we can't make it because of the weather
situation, and to be honest it's quite terrifying, but I can't fathom
coming this far and giving up."

Snow has been falling in the Washington mountains since the weekend, which
was likely the first snow to fall on Pacific Crest Trail hikers, Cox said.
Searchers had encountered two other hikers on the trail and persuaded them
to turn around.

"The problem with all the snow on the ground is you can't even tell where
the trail is," Cox said. "Some folks try to push on and wind up getting
lost."

The Pacific Crest Trail runs 2,650 miles from Mexico to the Canadian
border.


*Video Link:*
http://www.onenewspage.com/n/US/74w2qmo8s/Hikers-on-Pacific-Crest-Trail-in-Washington-Rescued.htm


On Wed, Oct 2, 2013 at 11:40 AM, William Canavan <wecanavan at gmail.com>wrote:

> Two hikers rescued by helicopter north of Trout Lake, third hiker still
> missing. News from The Oregonian.
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