The rainy gloom of winter will soon give way to the sunshine and flowers of spring. That means hiking trails are sure to get busier in the Columbia Gorge, Willamette Falls and other popular destinations near Portland. But even experienced hikers can lose their way or get stranded as a mild, sunny day turns to a cold, damp night outdoors. 

That’s where the Green Hornets can help keep a bad situation from getting much worse. They’re a search and rescue team within the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office who are experienced backcountry athletes and sheriff’s deputies who can mobilize within minutes to find lost or injured hikers. According to Sergeant Aaron Sieczkowski, the Green Hornets perform about a dozen search and rescue missions a year, primarily in the western Columbia Gorge. He joins us to talk about their work, including a recent rescue on Larch Mountain, and how to stay safe on hikes.