Hiker rescued after medical incident

A search and rescue team retrieved a hiker from the forest near Little Three Creek Lake on Saturday, after the 63-year-old Bend man experienced a serious medical problem.

According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, dispatch received a 911 call on August 18 about 2:40 p.m. from a hiker in the Three Creek Wilderness area advising that a member of their group, Dennis Crowell, was experiencing a potentially serious medical issue.

The group of five had been hiking on an unmaintained trail in the Snow Creek drainage system about one mile northwest of Little Three Creek Lake.

Three Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue volunteers responded as a hasty medical team to Park Meadow Trailhead where they deployed on the trail at about 4:34 p.m. Five more DCSO SAR volunteers and one Deschutes County Sheriff's Office deputy deployed on the trail shortly afterwards with a wheeled litter. Two members of the hiking party met the hasty team on the trail at about 5:10 p.m. and led the hasty team to Crowell's location.

Following a medical assessment, it was determined Dennis' condition was stable enough to be transported back to the Park Meadow Trailhead on a wheeled litter.

The SAR volunteers, DCSO Deputy and remainder of the hiking party then transported Dennis approximately four miles back to the trailhead via wheeled litter where they were met by the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire department. Crowell was transported to St. Charles Medical Center by ambulance for further treatment.