Construction work closing Highway 204 for two days

TOLLGATE — The Oregon Department of Transportation is closing Oregon Highway 204 — the Weston-Elgin/Tollgate Highway — at mileposts 34 and 35 from 6 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4 through 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, for construction of a retaining wall to protect the highway from future flood damage.

The flooding of Phillips Creek this spring caused significant damage, ODOT reported in a press release. The two-day closure allows for construction at the work site 6 miles west of Elgin.

There is no local detour available for highway traffic, the transportation department advised, and travelers will need to use alternate routes around the closure. A single lane closure now at the work site with up to 20-minute delays will change to the temporary full closure on Aug. 4.

Hiker rescued on Snake River

HAT POINT LOOKOUT — A 45-year-old Portland man was rescued Saturday, July 25, after being missing more than 72 hours during a hike that took him down to the Snake River, said Mike Hansen, incident commander for Wallowa County Search and Rescue.

The man, whom Hansen declined to name, had some scratches, bumps and bruises, Hansen said.

“He was very, very tired, hungry and had sore feet,” he said.

When Hansen interviewed him the next day, the man — who was hiking alone — said he intended to spend one night on the bench below Hat Point on Wednesday, July 22. However, while traveling south and looking for a way back to the top, he missed the trail and ended up where Sluice Creek empties into the Snake River.

Hansen said the man decided to go on down to the Snake in hopes of finding help. There, he found some commercial rafters, who took him downstream until they came upon a jet boat operated by Hells Canyon Adventures out of Oxbow. The jet boat took him about 15 miles upstream to Hells Canyon Dam where there is a boat launch and road access.

“He got lucky,” Hansen said.

— EO Media Group