OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Two hikers were injured in separate incidents in the Hurricane Ridge area, Clallam County Fire District No. 2 officials said.
Both were rescued Monday.
A man in his 20s fell about 20 feet along Switchback trail and was helped down by other hikers, district Chief Jake Patterson said in a press release.
A woman in her 30s injured her ankle on the Lake Angeles trail and was wheeled to safety on a rescue litter, according to the Port Angeles-area fire district.
The fire department does not identify those it rescues to protect their privacy according to federal law.
Olympic National Park rangers also responded to both incidents.
Initial reports were that a man in his 30s had fallen about 300 feet from Switchback trail and had injured his leg at about 8 p.m. Monday. It was unclear if a technical rope-rescue would be needed to access the patient, Patterson said.
“Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue units gathered equipment and prepared for a potential technical rescue. However, upon arrival of the first ambulance at the scene, it was discovered the patient was already located at the trailhead,” Patterson said Tuesday.
Two hours after the initial report from Switchback trail, district crews were dispatched to a report of an injured woman on the Lake Angeles trail.
A woman in her 30s had hurt her ankle about a mile up the trail and was unable to hike out. She was accompanied by two children, Patterson said.
Two crews were sent up the trail to assist the injured woman and the younger hikers. The injured woman was transported on a wheeled litter, Patterson said.
“The crews packaged the patient and then began the slow trek down the trail arriving back at the trailhead at 12:15 a.m.,” Patterson said.
“She was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to Olympic Medical Center.”
The wheeled litter was funded through a 2019 grant from the Clallam County Physicians Community Benefit Fund.
“These types of equipment reduce the number of personnel needed to carry a patient out and provide for less fatigue and less injuries while at the same time providing for better patient safety,” Patterson said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
