(KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash.) — Rescuers in Washington trekked through 5 miles of snow to save two stranded hikers who had “no shelter but a blue plastic tarp,” with officials urging those who go on outdoor adventures to prepare accordingly.
The two hikers had lost their way in “unexpected snow” in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area in the Cascade Mountains shortly before 11 a.m. on Sunday when they called the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Department for help.
The hikers used text-to-911 to say they were “lost, wet and cold, with no shelter but a blue plastic tarp” and that they were “unable to make their way off the snowy mountainside where they were perched,” the sheriff’s department said.
After hiking 5 miles through the snowy conditions, rescuers found the hikers, who were “wet and cold but uninjured,” officials said. The hikers were assisted off the slope they were perched on and out of the wilderness, officials said.
The sheriff’s department emphasized that as the seasons change, mountain conditions can change fast.
Officials said any outdoor enthusiast should pack “10 essentials” for any hiking or camping excursion: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire starters, nutrition, hydration, emergency shelter and a repair kit and tools.
In the wake of several costly rescues over the summer, one official in Washington is proposing an ordinance that would fine an individual “if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond.”
“I need to find a creative way to deter the current behavior we are witnessing while attempting to recoup the financial burden placed on our county for an unfunded state mandate,” Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer announced in June after the county experienced a 400% increase in search and rescue missions.
In June, Scheyer said the ordinance was “still in the planning phase,” but believed it would serve as an “added deterrent for those who take exceptional risks and expect the services we are required to provide as a result of their own actions.”
It is unclear whether the ordinance has passed in Skamania County. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
Cris Hazzard, a professional hiking guide and author, known as “The Hiking Guy,” previously told ABC News that several minutes of “homework” before embarking on an outdoor excursion — including checking the website of the trail or park or downloading an app like AllTrails — can help hikers avoid challenging conditions or become aware of specific closures.
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