BEND, OR -- Three snowshoers were rescued from Big Meadow trail, near the Dutchman Loop trail, Tuesday night. Deschutes County Search and Rescue volunteers responded to the area after a 31-year-old Bend woman and two others from Portland became lost; one had a broken snowshoe.

The group reportedly started from Dutchman at noon and got lost at about 4 p.m. After calling 911 for help, they continued on to keep warm, but by 5:20 p.m. it was too dark for them to see the trail. They had no lights aside from one cell phone, which was quickly losing battery life. Their map was a picture on a cell phone which later died, a third phone also ran out of battery during the trek. The Sheriff's Office says the women didn't have water nor a backpack with extra supplies.

SAR volunteers saw the dim phone light and located the group about ¾ of a mile from the Dutchman parking lot. They were cold and tired but otherwise Okay. 

Google Earth Image provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.