CA man rescued after becoming lost on hike

CORBETT, Ore. (KOIN) – Rescue teams have successfully located a 42-year-old hiker who became disoriented while hiking in the Columbia River Gorge.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office identified the hiker as Donn Cambell.

Cambell, reportedly from Stockton, California, was reunited with his family shortly after 2 a.m. on Friday at the Oneonta Trailhead.

Emergency dispatchers got word around 9:30 p.m. from Cambell’s wife that Cambell had become lost while on an impromptu hike.

According to the sheriff’s office:

When asked about his hike, Campbell said he had stopped with his family in the scenic area on their way to Seattle and he decided to go on a short hike up the trail for a bit while his family went sightseeing around the area. He started his hike about 2:30 p.m. from the Oneonta Trailhead intending to hike the Wahkeena Loop.

As he was hiking he saw another trail that he thought led up to Larch Mountain and decided to follow that but became turned around trying to get back down the trails. As it got dark, he realized he was lost and he didn’t have any light or emergency supplies with him.

The sheriff’s office credited Cambell for remaining where he was as teams worked their way up the trail to his location. They said that sped up his rescue. He was uninjured and in good spirits, happy to be off the trail and grateful to the team that located him and brought him safely back down.

Officials reminded the public to make sure they are fully prepared for an emergency or overnight stay while hiking in the Columbia River Gorge.