Injured Damascus hiker rescued near Ramona Falls after breaking ankle
Published 9:31 pm Monday, April 6, 2026
A 43-year-old man from Damascus was rescued after breaking his ankle while hiking on Mount Hood.
David Cahill contacted emergency responders just before 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4, via an SOS activation from a handheld satellite communicator. He was about 1.5 miles up the Ramona Falls Trail.
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue led the response. They were able to identify Cahill via the device’s registration and contacted his family member. Using a cellphone tracking application, the family member confirmed Cahill’s location.
As deputies arrived at the trailhead, another 911 caller reported a hiker with a broken ankle. The rescue team consisted of eight Search and Rescue volunteers as well as two American Medical Response medics. They brought a wheeled litter for a pack-out.
The team reached Cahill just after 8 p.m. They got him safely down the mountain. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
Cahill was hiking with a friend at Ramona Falls around noon. During the hike, he slipped on a rock and broke his right ankle. His hiking friend had the handheld satellite communicator.