Coldwater Lake Search & Rescue—Klog 100.7 News

A 67-year-old Ridgefield man was rescued Friday night after becoming disoriented in the dark and snow near Coldwater Lake.

The man had reportedly been hiking at an elevation of 3,200 feet while the temperature was in the mid-20s and there was heavy snowfall. He called his family for assistance, who then contacted authorities around 10:30 p.m.

Local Search and Rescue teams responded, using a drone to search the area from which the phone call originated to locate the man. Responders hiked about 1.25 miles through deep snow from the South Coldwater Trailhead to his location.

They found him moderately hypothermic, shivering, having difficulty speaking, and unable to physically move. He was reportedly not well prepared for the hike in those weather conditions, wearing just jeans, a flannel shirt, and a coat. He did not have food, water, or the ability to build shelter.

He was provided with aid at the scene until he was eventually able to hike out with assistance. He was treated by Toutle Fire and released to his son. The rescue efforts took around 8 hours from the initial call.