Subject safely located by SAR in the Eagle Cap Wilderness

By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Tuesday, October 26th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

BAKER COUNTY –

Update from the Baker Cuunty Sheriff’s Office:

𝙐𝙋𝘿𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝘽𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝐁𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐘 – (𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧’𝘴 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦) On October 24, 2021, at approximately 12:00 p.m., Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a report of a subject stranded in the Eagle Cap Wilderness outside of Halfway, Oregon. The subject, identified as Robert Derald Borders (67 yoa) of Baker City, and his four horses were packing in supplies from Cornucopia Lodge to a hunting camp on October 23rd when severe weather moved into the area. Blizzard-like conditions made it difficult for Borders to find the trail. He was able to start a fire and stayed overnight. The next morning, he was unable to get a fire going due to the wet conditions. Borders utilized his Garmin inReach satellite device to text a friend letting him know that he couldn’t find the trail and needed help to get out. This message prompted the friend to notify law enforcement.Sheriff Travis Ash activated the Baker County Search and Rescue team at 12:20 p.m. on October 24th. Sheriff Ash and approximately seven SAR volunteers responded to the area with a variety of resources, including side by sides and snowshoes. Searchers encountered difficult road conditions as they traveled to Deadman Trailhead. Upon arrival, they utilized side by sides to attempt to reach the subject. Eventually, the terrain became too difficult to travel via UTV. Searchers began hiking through knee-deep snow for almost two miles. Severe weather, including heavy rains, fog, and wind gusts in excess of 40 mph, forced the searchers to turn back around at 11:15 p.m. During this time, Borders continued to communicate via his Garmin inReach device. Sheriff Ash requested mutual aid from Union County Search and Rescue. Volunteers from Union County and Baker County returned to the Sheriff’s Office at 5:00 a.m. on October 25th and traveled to the search area. U.S. Forest Service law enforcement personnel from La Grande and Walla Walla also joined the search utilizing a side by side. Ground crews began hiking into the area alongside by sides. After navigating difficult terrain for over four hours and traversing nearly 9 miles, searchers reached Borders at approximately 2:06 p.m. Once he was assessed for injuries, SAR volunteers assisted Borders and his horses back to his vehicle. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful for our Search and Rescue volunteers and community partners. Without them, searches like these would rarely result in a positive outcome. These dedicated volunteers donate countless hours along with their own equipment and resources to help others. They respond on evenings, weekends, holidays, and in severe weather conditions. We would like to express our gratitude to the following community partners: Union County Search and Rescue volunteers for joining the search, Wallowa County Search and Rescue volunteers for being on standby, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement personnel for joining the search and allowing the use of their side by side, U.S. Forest Service mechanics for installing tracks on the UTV, Roger Gulick of Halfway, Oregon, Baker County Aircraft for being on standby, and the Baker County Road Department for installing tracks on the BCSO SAR side by side on short notice. It took a combination of volunteers, resources, and these community agencies working together, to ensure a safe rescue and positive outcome for all involved.

Previous: Baker County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue were called out to reports of a lost subject in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Sunday afternoon. Crews attempted to locate the subject into the late evening hours but due to inclement weather the searchers were forced to turn around. Mutual Aid was requested to the Union County Search and Rescue for ground searchers and the additional crews were deployed at approximately 5:00am yesterday morning, October 25.

According to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office midafternoon yesterday the subject was located safely. At the time of the update there was no information on any injuries the subject may have sustained. A full release is excepted later today.