76-Year Old Woman Survives Two Weeks in Mountains

Filed in archive Outdoor News on September 10, 2007

In an act of sheer will and determination, Ora Doris Anderson survived two weeks in the mountains after getting separated from her husband while on a hunting trip. Anderson and her husband was enjoying a drive through the mountains when their truck got struck.

According to a Yahoo! News story, Both headed for help, but Anderson decided to return to the truck. Rescuers later found husband. The 76-year old woman suffered no life threatening injuries, but is nursing a hip injury as well as dehydration.

George Winn, the CEO of St. Elizabeth Health Services, said Anderson was in critical, but stable condition and was being admitted to the intensive care unit.

Authorities had largely given up hope of finding Anderson, who was lightly dressed in an area where temperatures had tipped into the 30s over the past two weeks. About 70 volunteers a day combed the Wallowa Mountain of eastern Oregon until the search was scaled back in late August.

Anderson, who goes by Doris, had last been seen Aug. 24 in the Eagle Creek area, where she had gone bow hunting with her 74-year-old husband, Harold.

The Andersons had driven into the rugged mountains and canyons in a Chevy Tahoe pulling a utility trailer. The vehicle got stuck, and Harold Anderson broke his wrist while unloading an all-terrain vehicle from the trailer.

The couple tried to walk to a U.S. Forest Service road for help but became exhausted. Harold Anderson said his wife headed back for the vehicle. A hunting party later found a disoriented Harold Anderson, but there was no sign of his wife.

A Baker County deputy and an Oregon State Police trooper found his wife around 2 p.m. Thursday in an area that had already been searched.