Oregon Woman Rescued 3 Days After Tumbling Off Cliff

A Portland art teacher who spent three nights in some of the roughest terrain in the Mount Hood National Forest was rescued yesterday afternoon by an Oregon Army National Guard helicopter, the Oregonian reports. Pamela Salant was last seen Saturday at noon when she and her boyfriend split up to find a place to camp for the night. But the 28-year-old tumbled off a cliff, and injured her left leg—unable to walk, she dragged herself along a creek, and eventually made it to Columbia River. Salant was found there in serious condition, and is being evaluated at a local hospital.

With no gear, and wearing only shorts and a tank top, Salant said she survived by drinking water from the creek and eating berries. Rescue crews prefer lost hikers to stay put in the wilderness, but Hood River's county sheriff said following a waterway is the next best thing. Salant's boyfriend reported her missing Sunday morning, and told rescuers it was unlikely that she'd stay in one place. "He knew if she got herself in trouble, she would get herself out. She was trying to," the sheriff said. (More Oregon stories.)