Deputies stranded in wilderness after destroying marijuana plants

Several search-and-rescue groups collaborated today to rescue 10 sheriff's deputies stranded in the Skamania County wilderness Saturday night.

Skamania County Sheriff's deputies and Clark-Skamania Drug Task Force officers had removed more than 3,000 marijuana plants on the east side of Dog Mountain Saturday.

With some of them exhausted and dehydrated, the group decided to spend the night in the wilderness rather than hike out of the narrow gorge, said Skamania County Undersheriff Dave Cox. All but one of the 10 sheriff's deputies had been rescued by early this afternoon.

The last person, who is injured but stable and talking, was brought off the mountain later and is being transported to Southwest Washington Hospital in Vancouver, Wash., via ambulance.