Lost Tri-Cities couple, dog rescued after losing way on frigid Rattlesnake

A couple out for a post-holiday hike on Rattlesnake Mountain near the Tri-Cities got lost as temperatures plummeted and snow started falling early Sunday evening.

The couple and their dog were rescued and “escorted to safety” by Benton County sheriff’s deputies and a crew with Benton County Fire District 2, according to a Facebook post.

Deputies responded to the Rattlesnake hiking trail off Highway 225 after emergency dispatchers received a call that the couple “had taken a wrong turn and became lost toward the top” of the mountain, the post said.

“The weather in this area shifted and the couple were not appropriately dressed for the drop in temperature,” according to the sheriff’s department.

Officials with the Hanford Meteorological Station told the Tri-City Herald that the temperature was 17 degrees at the top at 5 p.m. Sunday, with breezy conditions and light snow. It’s unclear where they were on the 3,500-foot mountain because the summit is closed to the public.

The man and woman reportedly were thankful for the quick response. They posed with deputies and fire personnel next to an ambulance at the base of Rattlesnake following their rescue.

Last week, as extreme winter weather was settling into the Pacific Northwest and people were preparing to travel for the holidays, Benton County Fire District 2 told its Facebook followers that the best way to avoid frostbite and hypothermia is to plan for it.

“Don’t get caught unprepared. Prepare for cold weather,” the Facebook post says.

The fire district included a link to a National Weather Service site that advises people to check the forecast before heading out, adjust their schedule if possible, and protect pets, livestock and other property like water pipes.

“Dress for the outdoors even if you don’t think you’ll be out much,” the weather service warned.

The list also advises people to fill up their gas tank to help stay warm in case they end up stranded, and to update their “winter car survival kit” with items like blankets, food and water, an ice scraper, a spare cellphone charger, cat litter or sand, and flashlights.

This story was originally published December 27, 2021 at 12:59 PM.