An injured hiker at Blue Pool in Oregon’s central Cascade Mountains triggered a multi-agency rescue effort Sunday, as emergency crews navigated the difficult terrain in an area known for cliffs ranging from 10 to 60 feet tall.
The hiker, a 53-year-old woman from Terrebonne, sustained a serious knee injury, according to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Linn County Search & Rescue deployed its technical rope rescue team, while responders from McKenzie Rural Fire District, Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, and Eugene Mountain Rescue also assisted, the release said.
Rescuers ultimately requested a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to carry out a hoist rescue. The Coast Guard transported the patient to a nearby airfield, where Sweet Home Fire District crews took her to Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield, officials said.
Blue Pool, officially called Tamolitch Falls, is a cliff-lined basin known for its waterfall—usually visible only in spring—and its strikingly clear blue pool, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
It is also considered a challenging hike with several hazards. The Forest Service noted that steep cliffs encircle the pool, where the average water temperature is 37 degrees.
“There is minimal to zero phone reception in the area, and it can take hours for emergency responders to arrive,” the Forest Service warned on its website.
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