2 hikers rescued from snowy Mt. Hood trail in 'painstaking' mission

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Two women hiking near Mt. Hood's Top Spur Trailhead were rescued by a search and rescue team on Thursday after becoming lost and injured in heavy snow, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said.

After the hikers -- ages 76 and 78 -- called 9-1-1, dispatchers tracked their phone about a mile southeast of the Top Spur Trailhead at an elevation of 4,200 feet.

Crews found the hikers within 30 minutes and transported one of the hikers on a "wheeled litter" after complaining about knee pain, officials said, noting the "painstaking process" of navigating the trail's snowy and rough terrain.

An hour later, the hikers were safely returned to the parking lot.

While some areas of the trail were bare, other areas had one to two feet of snow, the sheriff’s office told KOIN 6 News.

“As temperatures rise in June, hikers may be surprised to learn that many of the popular Mt. Hood area trails are still covered by snow,” CCSO said.