Linn County Sheriff’s deputies located two lost people Monday night, Nov. 8, near Lava Lake off Highway 20 west of Santiam Junction.
The two were employees of the Environmental Protection Agency and were working yesterday at test sites near the lake, Sheriff Tim Mueller said. They were unable to find their way back to their vehicle, which was parked at Crescent Mountain Trailhead.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office received several calls to assist the two. Three deputies from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the area and located the people, using lights, sirens and whistles, at about 10 p.m. They were about a quarter of a mile from the trailhead and the deputies walked them back to their vehicle. The people were in good condition but were cold.
They had an inadequate light source, no way to start a fire, and didn’t have clothing for the conditions. It was snowing when the deputies arrived on scene, Mueller said.
The Sheriff’s Office reminds people that before going into remote areas you need to take proper equipment such as food, water, clothing for the conditions, flashlight, map, compass, whistle and fire-starting supplies.