Drone helps save two more mushroom pickers in Skamania County

PORTLAND, OR (COIN) — Last weekend, two more mushroom pickers were rescued from the dangerous and cold outback of Skamania County.

According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, after both were reported missing, more than 50 volunteers, as well as K9 and search and rescue teams from several counties worked through “hail, sleet, driving rain and freezing nights” to find their.

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A breakthrough in the search came when a weatherproof drone deployed by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate one of the missing mushroom pickers from the air.

<em>An all-weather drone from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office helped rescue two mushroom pickers in Skamania County on November 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Skamania County Sheriff’s Office)</em>” loading=”lazy” width=”900″ height=”675″ decoding=”async” data-nimg=”1″ class=”rounded-lg” style=”color:transparent” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/VXSev5rE4WYqbU1kdMG3JA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2 MDtoPTcyMA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/koin_articles_940/b064ef5d60811c8dc8d043118fddd7e4″/><button aria-label= — *An all-weather drone from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office helped rescue two mushroom pickers in Skamania County on November 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Skamania County Sheriff’s Office)*

The drone team then relayed the message to those on the ground, guiding them through difficult terrain until both mushroom hunters were safe.

“This operation is a testament to the power of teamwork, innovation and the compassionate spirit of our search and rescue community,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post. “We are deeply grateful to every volunteer and team who contributed to this mission. Their dedication and resilience have yielded immeasurable results.”

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Several mushroom hunters were saved from the forests of Skamania County over the past month. These include one person stranded in blizzard-like conditions on October 30 and a rescue three separate people within 24 hours on October 27 and 28.. However, during this time, even before the arrival of rescuers, a fourth person died.

“The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind visitors and residents of the cooler temperatures, low elevation snow and decreased daylight that occur this time of year,” the sheriff’s office added. “Always be prepared for adverse conditions and research your planned destination as well as the weather forecast before venturing into the wilderness.”

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