STEVENSON, Wash. (AP) -- Six hikers were rescued from a rocky ridge in a forest near Mount St. Helens on Wednesday, two days after they failed to return from a day trip.
A Coast Guard helicopter plucked the hikers off the ridge one by one in a rescue basket. The six _ three men and three women all in their 20s _ were flown to Troutdale, Ore., where they were reunited with family members.
A King County sheriff's office helicopter spotted the group Wednesday morning, said Dave Cox, Skamania County undersheriff. The hikers, some dressed only in shorts, had become lost in a forested area. They climbed to the high ridge, built a shelter and started two signal fires to catch the eye of rescuers.
No serious injuries were reported, Cox said.
The group had left Monday to hike in the Wind River Ranger District southeast of Mount St. Helens and were reported missing Tuesday by co-workers.
Five of the hikers _ Tim and Alicia Hensley; Russell and Jaime Maddy; and Jennifer Skoog _ are from Vancouver, Wash. The sixth, Matthew Margolis, is from Portland, Ore.
