Grants Pass man injured in fall from horse near Red's Horse Ranch

Dick Mason, The Observer, La Grande, Ore.
·2 min read

Nov. 1—LA GRANDE — A 62-year-old Grants Pass man suffered potentially serious injuries to his pelvis after fall from a horse in the Red's Horse Ranch area the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 31.

The man, who was with a hunting party, fell from the horse after it left a trail on a steep hillside. the accident occurred about .85 of a mile by trail from Red's Horse Ranch in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The accident was reported by members of his party who had ridden to Red's Horse Ranch notified the U.S. Forest Service caretaker there, according to Union County Emergency Manage Nick Vora in a press release.

Union County Search and Rescue was then activated and steps to get aircraft into to help were taken. Shortly after 5:30 p.m., a La Grande Life Flight helicopter flew a combined SAR and Life Fight team to Red's Horse Ranch. That team then hiked up the U.S. Forest Service 1908 trail towards the patient, while the helicopter returned to load and insert a second team of SAR personnel.

The first team met the injured man and his party on the trail at about 6:15 p.m. Just prior to take-off of the second SAR team, the team on-scene advised that no additional personnel were necessary for the rescue, so the helicopter was unloaded at the La Grande/Union County Airport. The man was assisted to Red's Horse Ranch and at about 8 p.m. was transported by Life Flight to St. Alphonsus Hospital, Baker City, with non-life-threatening injuries.

The U.S. Forest Service provided lodging in cabins at Red's Horse Ranch to one SAR team member and the three individuals in the injured man's party who remained. The SAR team member assisted the three individuals in the party out to the Moss Springs Trailhead the following morning, with the group arriving at the trailhead at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Vora said that were it not for the U.S. Forest Service caretakers assistance in getting SAR activated, Life Flight transporting personnel to the accident area, SAR's use of the U.S. Forest Service radio network, and lodging provided in the Forest Service cabins, the incident likely would've taken many hours or potentially even days longer to resolve.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer. Contact him at 541-624-6016 or dmason@lagrandeobserver.com.