Blind hiker, dog rescued after man suffered from heat exhaustion on Oregon trail

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s North Bend aircrew rescued a blind hiker and his dog as the owner faced heat exhaustion amid Oregon’s streak of high temperatures.

According to a social media post from the Coast Guard’s Pacific Northwest district, the 55-year-old man joined a friend for a hike in Southwest Oregon on July 3 or July 4. 

USCG said the man initially showed signs of heat exhaustion on July 6, when his friend left him to call first responders at Gold Beach because there was no cell reception.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Development and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office worked alongside the Bureau of Land Management to arrange the legally-blind hiker’s rescue in the remote area.

A BLM ranger and sheriff began their search at 5 a.m. on Monday, and located the man around 9 a.m. at mile nine of the Rogue River Trail. He was unable to walk and “the terrain was too rough for a wheel litter”, so the Coast Guard deployed a rescue swimmer before hoisting the man and his dog.

The two were transported to Grants Pass Airport’s Emergency Medical Services.