PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An injured hiker was rescued after he crawled for eight hours in search of cellphone service, search crews said.
The 26-year-old hiker, Joseph Oldendorph, was found near Olympic National Park by a Jefferson County search and rescue team at 4 a.m. Saturday. Oldendorph had fractured his ankle after slipping on ice while trail running near Hood Canal.
A Coast Guard team from Port Angeles, Washington, flew in on an MH-65 Dolphin chopper and was able to hoist the man from his location. He was then flown to a Seattle hospital.
The man was in stable condition, crews said.
“We like to train for high-altitude rescues because of the mountainous region we operate in,” Lieutenant Commander Sam Hill said in a release. “Because of that training, we were able to overcome numerous environmental challenges to rescue the hiker from a dangerous situation. We thank Jefferson County Search and Rescue for their help locating the hiker and assisting with the hoist.”
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