SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. — If you head out on a hike in Skamania County without making proper preparations, and you wind up needing to be rescued, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office will always answer the call — but they might fine you afterwards.

It's not a rule yet, but Sheriff Summer Scheyer said she's begun pushing the idea in response to a sharp spike in hiker rescue calls this year, and she's calling on people to take personal responsibility before heading into the Columbia River Gorge.

"Wearing flip flops to hike Hamilton or Dog Mountain, not being in shape to do some of these very hard hikes," she said, highlighting some of the recent examples of bad planning. "There are other beautiful areas in within the gorge that are less difficult."

Sheyler said search and rescue crews re

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