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RescueOutcome: Rescued by SARNavigation error

Rescue — Mount Osceola, Jul 26, 2023

·Mount Osceola·Osceola Trail

49-year-old female hiker from Houston, TX

On July 26, 2023, Misty Hughes, 49, inadvertently left the Osceola Trail while navigating with AllTrails and climbed onto a steep, slippery exposed ledge on East Osceola, becoming stranded and unable to continue up or down. Three Conservation Officers hiked two miles with ropes and harnesses and reached her at 3:00 p.m., assisting her off the slope using a rope and climbing harness by 3:45 p.m. Hughes suffered no injuries and was reunited with family at the trailhead.

What we can learn

Appropriate footwear including hiking boots that provide support, protection, and traction should be worn while hiking, particularly given slippery trail conditions caused by prolonged rainy weather.

Contributing factors

Off trailPhone-only navigationInadequate traction
Before you head out: check the forecast, carry the Ten Essentials, leave your plans with someone, and be willing to turn back. See current conditions →

Other recorded incidents on Mount Osceola

Part of the WMNF Hiker Incident Database. Every entry cites a primary or near-primary source; details are refined as the record is reviewed.