- Rebecca Halley was hiking the Dog Mountain Trail when she lost her balance and fell
- A helicopter airlifted her to a Vancouver hospital for treatment of her injuries.
A 63-year-old hiker has revealed her horrific injuries after falling 300 feet from a Washington state mountain while hiking to view wildflowers.
Rebecca Halley of Hillsboro, Oregon, was visiting Washington state’s Dog Mountain Trail to enjoy the warm weather and iconic wildflowers. She had taken the same trip five years ago with her daughter and was eager to return.
However, disaster struck when the 63-year-old returned to the trails last Friday.
Halley said she found the trail much more difficult this time around, even though she is an avid hiker.
She recalled arriving at the top of the mountain – where she said the group “had lunch, rehydrated and came down”, adding that “things kind of went off the rails after that”.
“I remember tripping a little bit, not a lot, and then going overboard,” Halley said.
Halley was visiting Washington state’s Dog Mountain Trail to enjoy the warm weather and iconic wildflowers
The path back down from the top of the trail is notoriously steep and narrow – but Halley was still caught off guard when she began to lose control and fall.
The path back down from the top of the trail is notoriously steep and narrow, but Halley was still caught off guard when she began to lose control and fall.
“I remember tripping a little bit, not a lot, and then going overboard,” Halley said.
Despite falling 300 feet from the mountain’s summit, Halley miraculously suffered only minor injuries.
She described the moments after her fall, during which she struggled to stay awake while calling her friends for help.
“I’m just lying there thinking, ‘I don’t want to move,’ because I don’t want to go any further,” Halley said.
Rescue efforts began around 1:30 p.m. Friday, according to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescuers found Halley unresponsive and unresponsive and a U.S. Army medical helicopter was brought to the scene to navigate the steep terrain.
The helicopter hoisted Halley up and she was airlifted to PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver for treatment, according to KOIN.
Despite falling 300 feet from the mountain’s summit, Halley miraculously suffered only minor injuries.
Rescuers found Halley unresponsive and unresponsive and a U.S. Army medical helicopter was brought to the steep terrain.
The helicopter hoisted Halley up and she was airlifted to PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver for treatment.
Local hikers are warning other visitors to stay safe during their expeditions on the challenging trails.
Liam Kean, a volunteer with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office of Search and Rescue, who said it’s important to “stay put” and “don’t go anywhere” if you get lost on the trail.
Other safety tips from hiking experts include going slowly, letting people pass you and carrying essentials, such as flashlights, food and water.
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