Rescue team reaches hike stranded by snow

YAKIMA — A hiker who was stranded on the Pacific Crest Trail by high winds and snow was rescued from a knife-edge ridge by a Blackhawk helicopter.

The Yakima County Sheriff’s office received a call for help at 6 a.m. Saturday from a hiker who was in the Goat Rocks Mountain range.

He said he was in a snow storm, his tent was ripped from high winds, and he was cold and wet.

A helicopter flew a search and team near the area and a ground crew located the hiker, who was in the early stages of hypothermia.

High winds and darkness forced the group to spend the night.

At sunrise Sunday, the Blackhawk reached the group on a ridge by landing its front tires on the trail, while its back tires were in the air.

The hiker was taken to a local hospital and was treated and released.