Austin Firefighter Missing in Gorge Thanks Rescuers After Being Found Safe

A missing firefighter from Austin, Texas who was hiking Sherrad Point has been found safe. He had not been seen since Thursday evening.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office says that 26-year-old Devin Paez was with two friends when he decided to head back down the trail ahead of the group and left his gear behind.

He was found around 3:15 along the Oneonta Trail below Triple Falls by a hiker who recognized him from media coverage.

It took rescuers about 30 minutes to get to the command post, where he was found to be in good condition other than some scratches on his arms and legs and being dehydrated.

Paez and his friends had started hiking from Wahkeena Falls around 11:30 in the morning and reached Sherrad Point around 5:30 in the afternoon.

One of the hikers tried to catch up with him but was unsuccessful.

Paez told rescuers that he had gotten lost on the trail when he went ahead of the group and made a wrong turn. He said he had continued on what he thought was the trail but then stumbled down a steep embankment.

It was dark and he was sliding down, so he decided to stay put until sunrise.

At that point, he found a creek and worked his way down following the riverbed until he came to a trail.

He just kept following trails until he was seen by a hiker on the Oneonta Trail who told him there was a search for him.

It turned out that when Paez's friends reached the Wahkeena Falls Trailhead, they decided to wait for him. When he did not show up, they had called 911.

Deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office and a search and rescue coordinator checked roads in the area in case he had come out a different trailhead.

Once the check of trailheads was completed, search and rescue was activated and a command post was established at the Larch Mountain Trailhead.

Search and Rescue crews were deployed into the field at approximately 1:30 a.m..

Overnight search and rescue crews covered approximately 20 miles of trails during the first phase of search efforts. Additional search and rescue crews are in the process of being called in to assist with search efforts.

The Command Post was moved down Larch Mountain road to Milepost 10 and will be the staging point for incoming crews as they arrive.

Portland Mountain Rescue, Pacific Northwest, Washington County and additional teams from Multnomah County Search and Rescue assisted as did Mountain Wave Communications.

Devin said that he'd made a mistake by going off ahead of his friends - and an even bigger mistake in leaving his backpack with food and water behind.

He had to use the battery watch light to provide light while waiting for the sun to rise.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office says that anyone contemplating a hike or outing on trails within the Columbia Gorge and other scenic areas to research their route prior to setting out. Stay on the trails and be prepared before you embark on a hike. Ensure you are carrying the proper equipment when setting out including a map, compass, flashlight, extra food and water, extra clothing, fire starter, knife, first aid kit and signaling device. A GPS and a cell phone with extra battery. Let someone know your plan and when you expect to return so someone knows if you are overdue.

Photo courtesy Multnomah County Sheriff's Office