Hikers get lost in snow with three dogs and dying phone, WA rescuers say

Two hikers and their three dogs were rescued after getting lost in the snow, Washington officials said.

On April 10, the hikers, ages 18 and 24, got lost in the snow with their three dogs and a dying cellphone at Coldwater Lake, according to a Facebook post by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.

Search and rescue personnel responded to the call and deployed a drone to find the hikers, officials said.

After GPS learned where they were, the drone led rescuers to the hikers and helped them return to the parking area, officials said.

Neither of the hikers were injured, officials said.

Officials urge the public to remember to dress properly when hiking, to bring food and water and to double-check the cellphone’s battery, deputies said.

Cowlitz County is about a 140-mile drive southwest of Seattle.

This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Hikers get lost in snow with three dogs and dying phone, WA rescuers say."