Wallowa County Search and Rescue

05/27/2026

Nice work by our partners in Baker County!

During the holiday weekend, Baker County Search and Rescue was deployed after receiving a report of a missing elderly man in the Sumpter area who failed to return to his camp after leaving on an ATV. He was reported to have several health conditions and was not prepared to spend the night outdoors.

Search and Rescue members and BCSO Deputy Rosin responded to the scene and searched for four hours in the middle of the night. At daylight, an additional six SAR members, along with Sheriff Ash, Lt. Downing and Deputy Robb, were deployed to relieve the initial team. The subject ultimately returned to his camp mid-morning. He was taken to the hospital by family members as a precaution.

Baker County Sheriff's Office would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Baker County Search and Rescue. SAR members are dedicated volunteers who go through an application process and an intensive training task book. Members are required to complete a minimum number of training hours per year and usually train approximately 1-2 times per month. Often, they use their own resources, including vehicles and ATVs, when participating in trainings and missions.

In 2025, SAR members donated 1,028 hours and deployed on 13 missions. We recognize these training hours and mission deployments mean time away from their families and responsibilities, particularly on weekends and holidays. They don't volunteer for the recognition or a pat on the back; they volunteer because they truly care about their community.

We would also like to thank our media partners at Elkhorn Media Group and Baker City Herald who were instrumental in sharing information regarding the missing individual on social media and over the radio.

05/23/2026

Update: The Baker County Sheriffs office reports the missing man has been located

MISSING /ENDANGERED PERSON
Information from the Baker County Sheriff's Office

NAME: GEORGE “SONNY” STEPHENSON AGE: 79
SUBJECT INFO:
WHITE MALE
HEIGHT: 5’6” WEIGHT: 220 LBS
HAIR: BALD, GRAY
WEARING A BLUE CARHARTT T-SHIRT AND BLACK SWEATPANTS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Last seen leaving from his camp in the Greenhorn, Oregon area on a gray Honda
four-wheeler. Subject has known health conditions.
Anyone having information regarding Sonny’s location is asked to contact the
Baker County Sheriff’s Office at 541-523-6415 Ext. 0 or dial 911.

05/07/2026

Wallowa County Search and Rescue was happy to help in this effort. This is how we do it in Eastern Oregon!

10/24/2025

NOTICE OF TRAINING EXERCISE

WCSAR members will be engaged in various training activities in Wallowa in the vicinity of Tick Hill and the surrounding area on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

These exercises will run throughout the day and there may be radio communications associated with these exercises which could give the impression that this is an actual SAR response. This is a mock exercise only.

We appreciate the community’s support of our mission and apologize if this exercise results in any inconvenience. Thank you!

09/22/2025

On September 20, at approximately 10:15 am WCSAR was notified of a fatality accident on the Dug Bar road that resulted in a vehicle and subject off the roadway. An incident commander was put in place and the ropes rescue team was deployed.
Due to uncertainty as to the scope of response ropes personnel from Union County Search & Rescue were asked to respond for mutual aid and a team was enroute when it was determined that the call could be adequately handled by WCSAR personnel, and UCSAR was stood down.
After arriving at the scene a ropes system was set up to lower personnel and a litter to the subject, and then to raise the litter to the roadway for transfer to the sheriff and coroner.
WCSAR were assisted by WC Dispatch, WC Sheriff Ryan Moody, OSP Trooper Justin Hay and Coroner Coty Tennis. Also thanks to the reporting parties who remained at the scene and assisted, and UCSAR for responding to our need for mutual aid.
Our sympathies are with the family and friends of the subject of this SAR response.

09/11/2025

07/23/2025

***LOCATED SAFE*** Missing Person from Walker Lane Joseph ***
Gary Parr walked away from his home around noon Wednesday July 23rd, 2025. 86 yom 5'10" 180 lbs, bald, last seen wearing shirt, jeans with suspenders. Mr. Parr has dementia. If located please call Wallowa County Sheriff's Office at 541-426-3131 press 2.

07/13/2025

On May 28, 2025 WCSAR received notice of a SPOT emergency activation on the Snake River, sent approximately noon. SAR personnel were called up and the incident commander was able to communicate with the subjects by cell phone.
The subjects were a father and 12 year old daughter, and the daughter was showing signs of heat stroke. The IC gave instructions on how to address the situation, after which her condition improved sufficiently for them to hike a short distance to the River where SAR had made arrangements with a commercial jet boat operator to pick the parties up.
The boat operators took the subjects to Temperance Creek Lodge where they were able to cool down, have dinner and stay overnight.
At 0630 on May 29, a SAR member flew his personal plane into Temperance Creek and transported the subjects to Enterprise.
Another SAR member then drove them back to Hat Point to pick up their vehicle.
Many thanks to Killgore Adventures and Temperance Creek Lodge for their generous assistance with this incident. Given the location it would have taken a great deal of time to get a ground response to the scene. We are very fortunate to have good community partners such as these two businesses.
Thanks also to Wallowa County Sheriffs office, WCSAR callout and incident command personnel and field responders including Brent Neely, who picked up the subjects by plane.

07/05/2025

Sounds as though YCSAR had a busy Fourth too! Nice work!

07/05/2025

On July 4, 2025, at approximately 2:45 pm WCSAR received a call to respond to two backpackers on the East Fork Wallowa River trail south of Aneriod pass who had fallen and needed assistance. They were also in the early stages of hypothermia due to getting soaked in the rain and cold.
An incident commander was put in place and a call put out for field responders and the equine team.
Lifeflight was unable to respond due to weather conditions so a field team with mules were deployed to the area. After traveling several miles uptrail, the team was unable to cross the Wallowa River with the mules due to high, fast moving water.
Fortunately the weather had cleared sufficiently by that time for Lifeflight to respond to the vicinity of the subjects and pick them up for transport to Wallowa Memorial Hospital, while the field team stood by. The team then returned to base, arriving about 0100 am.
Thanks to all involved including Wallowa County Sheriff and Dispatch personnel, WCSAR callout and field teams, and Lifeflight Dispatch and helicopter personnel.