Two experienced skiers were reported missing after Saturday night, February 2, 2008, out of Alpine Meadows. Placer SAR, Placer EDSO, Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol and Placer Nordic (North Tahoe) searched for the missing skiers. On Sunday El Dorado SAR callout made for Nordic (West Slope) for an OES Placer county mutual aid request.
Skiers were found near Hell Hole Reservoir (over nine miles away per mapping software). In the meantime our team was dispatched:
Grant Nelson said: Gary Kring, Jim Cahill, and I responded on Monday, February 4 to the
callout. Two men in their 30's had been missing since Saturday,
February 2. Winds up to 140 mph were recorded on Saturday night.
Avalanche danger had been rated as high. Our response was delayed by
the extensive black ice present after an overnight rain squall in
Placerville was followed by a clear, cold night. We had to drive very
slowly to maintain control of Rescue 3. We were deployed to a search
area on the Pacific Crest south of Ward Peak. After taking the lift to
a point near the top of Ward Peak, we skinned up in high winds and
blowing snow. We were just about to start skiing up the ridge when
Gary heard on the radio that the subjects had been found! We removed
our climbing skins and got off that wind blown ridge as quickly as we
could! While in the parking lot at CP, we received many "Thank Yous"
and "Search and Rescue rules!" from customers and employees. It was a
really nice feeling! That is what being in SAR is all about!
This is a venue for El Dorado SAR members to provide fill-in information and first-hand accounts of specific previous searches. After SAR302 posts the first item about a recent search, any SAR member is invited to add their comments/observations/feelings/experience as it relates to said search. The postings are then edited and posted to the ESARC website (edsar.org) for public viewing.
