Multiple SAR agencies rescue lost La Grande man near Pilcher Creek Reservoir

UNION COUNTY – Union County Search and Rescue recently posted information regarding a SAR call near Pilcher Creek Reservoir that occurred June 26 and 27. A La Grande Man reportedly became separated from his group in heavy rain on Friday evening and spent the night in the wild before being found by SAR the following morning. 

In a brilliant example of inter-agency cooperation, both Baker and Umatilla County SAR responded to the call for mutual aid. As posted in full by Union County SAR:

“We’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to our neighboring SAR teams in Baker and Umatilla counties for eagerly responding to assist us yesterday morning on a search for a missing mushroom picker. 

On the late evening of Friday, June 26th, our SAR team was notified of a local La Grande man who was presumed to be lost after getting separated from his companion in a heavy rainstorm earlier in the day in the area of the USFS 43 Road west of Pilcher Creek Reservoir. Union County SAR responded and searched through the night, and we requested assistance from Baker and Umatilla counties’ teams the following morning due to the amount of steep terrain and roads needing to be searched. The lost individual was found by SAR in the late morning of Saturday, June 27th. He was cold and wet from spending the night out in the rain and 40-degree temperatures, but healthy and in good sprits.

Mutual aid is something all SAR teams in our region rely on when additional resources are needed, and we cannot express our gratitude enough for the willingness of our neighboring teams to clear their schedules on a Saturday morning to assist us. Thank you!”

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(Image originally posted by Union County SAR)

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