Black Hawk Called In for Broken Top Rescue

A 44-year-old Bend woman was airlifted to safety last week after being injured while snowboarding in steep terrain near Tam McArthur Rim, prompting a large-scale rescue effort involving local volunteers and a military helicopter.

The call for help came in at about 2:40 p.m. on March 30, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. The woman was located on a snow-covered slope near the base of Broken Top Mountain, at an elevation of roughly 7,350 feet. Authorities said she was in the upper third of the slope, in terrain difficult to access and requiring a technical response.

An initial three-person team made up of Advanced Life Support Search and Rescue members and Mountain Rescue Unit personnel was flown toward the area by Air Link. However, deteriorating weather conditions prevented the helicopter from reaching the exact location. The team was dropped near Lower Three Creeks Snow Park and, with assistance from a passerby, made their way closer before skiing approximately two miles uphill to reach the snowboarder.

Additional Search and Rescue volunteers, including snowmobile operators, skiers, and medical personnel, were mobilized to support the operation.

A break in the weather later in the evening allowed an Oregon Army National Guard HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, carrying a paramedic, to access the site at around 8:20 p.m. The woman was stabilized on scene before being flown to St. Charles-Bend for further medical treatment.

In total, 22 Search and Rescue volunteers and a Deschutes County Sheriff's deputy participated in the rescue. Agencies assisting included the Oregon State Search and Rescue Coordinator from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Air Link, and the Oregon Army National Guard.