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Skamania County emergency workers used a helicopter to remove an injured hiker from near the top of Dog Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of R. Aman)

Skamania County search-and-rescue crews brought two people off the Dog Mountain trail in the Columbia River Gorge over the weekend, one with a medical condition and the other with a broken ankle.

Kaitlyn Hildenbrand, a Skamania County emergency services spokeswoman, said Saturday's and Sunday's rescues followed a May 2 rescue of another hiker, also with an ankle injury.

A helicopter departs Dog Mountain with an injured hiker Sunday afternoon.

At 5:13 p.m. Saturday, rescuers were called to the steep, rugged trail to assist a hiker with a medical condition. Hildenbrand said the hiker was coming down the trail but was still a mile from the trailhead when he asked for help. Crews were able to treat the man on the scene and he was able to walk out on his own.

At 1:26 p.m. Sunday, crews were dispatched to the Dog Mountain trail to assist a woman who had an ankle injury at the top of the mountain. Crews reached her, stabilized her ankle and called for air ambulance helicopter to transport her to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. A rescue official said the woman's ankle was broken.

On the previous weekend, at 12:25 p.m. May 2, Hildenbrand said, a woman was 3.5 miles along the popular trail when she suffered an ankle injury. The woman was brought down safely and transported to a Vancouver hospital for treatment.

Hildenbrand said the meadow at the top of the trail is flush with flowers and a popular destination this time of year, but the trail gains nearly 3,000 feet in about 3.5 miles.

"The trail is difficult, if not dangerous, and should only be trekked by experienced, prepared hikers," Hildenbrand said.

-- Stuart Tomlinson

stomlinson@oregonian.com

503-221-8313

@ORweather