Emergency responders from Skamania and Clark counties coordinated a helicopter extraction on July 24, 2026, to rescue a hiker who became incapacitated by illness north of Spirit Lake.
According to reporting by The Reflector, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatch center received notification of the emergency via a satellite messenger device activation. The hiker reported being unable to return to their vehicle due to their condition. The coordinates provided placed the individual within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
The rescue involved a regional response including:
- Skamania County Sheriff’s Office
- North County EMS
- Volcano Rescue Team volunteers
- JL Aviation
- Clark County Fire District 13
A search and rescue coordinator from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office managed the operation. North County EMS and Volcano Rescue Team volunteers located the patient, at which point the team requested an immediate extraction because the hiker’s status had deteriorated.
JL Aviation transported medical personnel to the site. While responders determined that a LifeFlight transport was not required, the patient was flown to Yacolt to meet a waiting ambulance. Clark County Fire District 13 secured the landing zone for the helicopter. The patient was then transferred to the ambulance and taken to a regional hospital.
Source: Hiker rescued near Mount St. Helens area after becoming ill
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