On the afternoon of July 26th, 2026, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office initiated a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission after receiving a report of two missing children in the Goose Lake area off U.S. Forest Service Road 60 within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The children had been picking huckleberries in the area when they became separated from their family and were unable to find their way back. Due to their ages, the remote location, and the amount of time they had been missing, the Sheriff’s Office activated Washington State Emergency Management Division Search and Rescue Mission and requested assistance from the Skamania County and Klickitat County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Teams.
While search resources were responding, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer continued searching the surrounding area and successfully located both children walking together near Forlorn Lakes Road. The children were safely returned to the incident command location, reunited with their families, and were found to be uninjured.
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Washington State Emergency Management Division, and the volunteers from the Skamania County and Klickitat County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Teams for their rapid response and willingness to assist.
The Sheriff’s Office reminds visitors enjoying the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to remain aware of their surroundings, carry navigation and communication devices whenever possible, and establish a meeting location if members of a group become separated. Taking these simple precautions can help prevent a pleasant outdoor outing from becoming a search and rescue incident.