BEND, OR -- The rescuers needed rescuing after a mountain biker got lost Wednesday evening, near Broken Top.

Deschutes County 911 got the call from the mountain biker just after 5 p.m. The 56-year-old man from Switzerland said he’d left the snow-covered trail after encountering a mountain lion, and was unable to find his way back. He was exhausted and needed help getting back to his car. 

Two Search and Rescue volunteers deployed in a tracked ARGO and found the man just before 8 p.m. But, while providing him a ride out, the ARGO got stuck in deep, soft snow.

An additional SAR team responded with snowmobiles and both teams worked together to free the stuck ARGO. The SAR teams were back to their vehicles by 2 a.m., and provided the mountain biker a ride to his car at the Cascade Lakes Visitor Center.