18-year-old hiker rescued after leg injury near Broken Top in Deschutes County

Deschutes County search and rescue crews rescued an 18-year-old hiker Thursday after he injured his leg while descending Broken Top near the Green Lakes area, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said Deschutes County 911 received a text to 911 at 1:38 p.m. on July 23 from the hiker near Green Lakes asking for help for a leg injury. Cell service in the area was poor, so communication was limited and the first details were unclear.

A Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office special services deputy and 12 search and rescue volunteers responded. They hiked about 4.5 miles from the Green Lakes Trailhead and found the injured hiker and his friend, both from Sunriver.

The sheriff’s office later said the pair had been descending Broken Top when one of them tripped and fell. Search and rescue medical personnel evaluated the hiker and determined he could not walk out on his own. Crews used a wheeled litter to bring him back to the trailhead.

He was released there to friends, who took him to St. Charles-Bend for further evaluation.

For hikers, the incident is a reminder to keep a charged phone, know that text-to-911 may be the only option in spotty coverage, and treat a leg injury as more than a minor setback if it leaves someone unable to walk out. If an outdoor injury leads to a larger medical bill or lost time from work, a personal injury claim may turn on the records created right after the rescue.