An injured hiker who was lost in Charles C. Deam wilderness was found Friday after a search, which began Thursday evening, according to press releases from the DNR and Monroe Fire Protection District.
Press releases begin here, and photos provided by the Monroe Fire Protection follow:
Monroe Fire Protection District press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Battalion Chief Jason Allen
Phone: 812-837-6360
Email: [email protected]
MONROEFD.ORG
Lost Hiker in Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Monroe County, Indiana, July 1, 2022 – Monroe Fire Protection District Station 21 was
called to the Grubb Ridge Trail in the Charles C. Deam Wilderness around 7:30pm last
night for a medical emergency. Initial reports were that a male hiker was on the trail
needing medical help and that the hiker had been located by DNR officers, who were
walking the hiker out to the parking lot.
As Monroe Fire units arrived on scene and spoke with the male hiker additional
information was gathered and it was found that a female hiker was actually lost and
injured somewhere in the woods. The male hiker stated he started a fire along the trail
for the female hiker to stay at, and then attempted to hike out for help. The male was
not sure which trail he was originally on as he got disoriented and lost himself for a little
bit on his hike out. Monroe Fire units from Station 22, 25 and Battalion 22 were then
added to the call to assist in the search.
Once additional fire units arrived on scene crews were divided into three different
search groups and made their way out on the trails to attempt to locate the hiker.
Search crews hiked several miles of trails looking and yelling for the hiker until around
1:30am this morning when DNR decided to suspend the search until the morning due to
safety concerns for searchers.
At 7:00am this morning members from Monroe Fire District, Indiana DNR Officers, and
members of the US Forestry Service assembled multiple search crews to resume the
search for the missing hiker. After about two and a half hours of searching the lost hiker
was located around 9:30am and helped to an awaiting UTV to bring them out of the
woods. Once out of the woods the hiker was checked out by IU Health Lifeline
paramedics and released at the scene.
-END-
DNR Press release:
For immediate release: July 1, 2022
Lost hikers found in Deam Wilderness
Indiana Conservation Officers have located two lost hikers after a long search in the Charles C. Deam Wilderness of Hoosier National Forest.
Yesterday at approximately 6 p.m., Monroe County received a 911 call from Jason Craig, 44, of Valparaiso, requesting help because he and his wife were hiking in Deam and got lost.
Search crews comprising Indiana Conservation Officers and the Monroe Fire Protection District responded and began searching the area by foot, all-terrain vehicle, and boat.
Craig was located near the area of Grubb Ridge Trail, but his wife, Hannah Daugherty, 36, was still missing. The two had separated when Daugherty became too exhausted to walk, and Craig left for help. The search for Daugherty was suspended overnight due to the steep terrain and other hazards in the area.
Crews from Indiana Conservation Officers, Hoosier Nation Forest Service, and Monroe Fire Protection District resumed the search at sunrise today and located Daugherty at 9 a.m.
Both hikers were checked by EMS and released.
-30-
