10/25/09 Three Sisters Wilderness
On 10-25-09 Hillary Williams and her Black Lab left Devils Lake Trailhead at about 1:00 pm with intentions of summiting both South Sister and Middle Sister. However, nightfall caused her to become lost and she spent a long cold night wandering in the Three Sisters Wilderness.
At about 1215 am a friend of Williams' called Deschutes County 911 Dispatch Center to report that Williams was overdue and believed to be lost in the Three Sisters Wilderness. The friend had last talked to Williams via her cell phone at about 9:30 pm and she believed she was north of the summit of South Sister at that time. Several of Williams' friends hiked up the Green Lakes Trail looking for her.
Deschutes County Sheriff's Office deputies and approximately 21 Search and Rescue members responded to the call. Ground teams, horse teams and air resources were utilized in the search. Searchers worked through the night. At about 7:30 am Williams called 911 from a convenience store in Sisters. She reported that she had walked out of the wilderness onto Three Creeks Road where she flagged down a woodcutter who gave her a ride into town. Her cell phone battery had gone dead shortly after she had last talked with her friend the night before.
Williams was not prepared to be out overnight or even after dark. She had very little food or drink, no flashlight and no compass. She did have a map and a lighter. At some point during the night Williams burned the map in a failed attempt to start a warming fire. Williams traveled a total of approximately 25 miles with substantial elevation changes before she made her way onto Three Creeks Road where she was picked up by a woodcutter and given a ride into Sisters. Williams was cold, hungry and tired but not in need of medical attention.
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office encourages people to be prepared when traveling into wilderness areas. Always let someone know what your proposed route will be, be cognizant of how much daylight you have and plan your trips accordingly. Always carry a light source in case you do run into darkness, a map, a compass, adequate food and water and other essentials to ensure your safety. Especially with winter approaching the environment can change rapidly making preplanning even more important.
