Monday, October 24, 2011
Missing Llama Camper, Meyers, 9-11-11
A llama camper lost her way, resultin in a callout for Tahoe and West slope members
Mutual Aid- Washington NV County - Missing 3 yr old 10-14-11
Missing 3-year-old Washington boy found alive after spending night in woods
OCTOBER, 14 2011
BY MATTHEW RENDA AND TRINA KLEIST
STAFF WRITERS
Barry Sieler, a Washington-based timber worker, arrived in a pick-up truck in the center of the small county town and shouted:
“I found him!”
The crowd of town residents that had gathered outside of the Washington Hotel erupted into jubilant applause and shouts.
Davyn Wilkison, 3, was found by Sieler at approximately 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning, just two miles outside of town on Alpha Road, after spending a cold night in the woods.
"I was just in the right place at the right time," Sieler said. “I was headed up Alpha Road and about 100 feet away I heard him crying.
"He was standing by a fir tree and he was crying. And I started crying, too."
Justin Wilkison, Davyn's 14-year-old brother, said his little brother was right behind him Wednesday afternoon as he was doing chores around the house. Suddenly, Justin turned around and Davyn was gone.
However, at first, Justin was not worried.
“Sometimes he wanders off to the neighbor's house,” Justin Wilkison said. “One time we were playing hide-and-seek and he fell asleep under the neighbor's porch.”
This time, though, Davyn did not appear and the family contacted the Nevada County Sheriff's Office at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal said. NCSO immediately dispatched 30 Search and Rescue workers, which grew to 70 by Thursday morning, when the boy had still not been found.
Search and Rescue workers from Yuba, Placer and El Dorado counties joined their Nevada County counterparts.
However, it was Sieler, a resident who spent the majority of his life in the area, who eventually found the boy.
Davyn was in good condition and seemed amused by all the attention directed his way, as he met members of the media near 11 a.m., just under an hour after being found.
“I slept on the ground,” he told a crowd of residents and local media. “Yeah, it was cold.”
Davyn said his dog, Shadow, chased after a squirrel and he followed the dog and soon became lost.
Davyn's mother, Harmony Blake, said she was very relieved the ordeal was over and her son is safe.
“I had a lot of fears throughout the night,” she said. “I was afraid he'd fallen in the river, encountered random strangers, everything.”
Blake said she knew her boy had been rescued when she heard shouts of joy come from Washington's downtown.
“This is a small town and we help each other out,” said Jason Wilkison, Davyn's father. “It's great to know that this many people care and God bless every one who helped search.”
Washington Hotel owner Henry DeCorte said Davyn is known for his love for the outdoors, but the
wilderness surrounding Washington can present dangers for a small child without navigation skills.
“There's lots of mountain lions around here and a lot of mine shafts,” he said.
Justin Wilkison said he had a dream that his brother was attacked by a mountain lion, but expressed relief that it was only a dream rather than a fatal premonition.
“This story,” Royal said, “has a happy ending.”
To contact Staff Writer Matthew Renda, e-mail mrenda@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4239. To contact Senior Staff Writer Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4230.
Speed: Photo 1 of 45
Davyn Wilkison, 3 Found near Town of Washington 10/13/11
10/13/2011 -- Photo for The Union by John Hart Photo By: John Hart
1341753
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111014/BREAKINGNEWS/111019883&parentprofile=search&template=printart
OCTOBER, 14 2011
BY MATTHEW RENDA AND TRINA KLEIST
STAFF WRITERS
Barry Sieler, a Washington-based timber worker, arrived in a pick-up truck in the center of the small county town and shouted:
“I found him!”
The crowd of town residents that had gathered outside of the Washington Hotel erupted into jubilant applause and shouts.
Davyn Wilkison, 3, was found by Sieler at approximately 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning, just two miles outside of town on Alpha Road, after spending a cold night in the woods.
"I was just in the right place at the right time," Sieler said. “I was headed up Alpha Road and about 100 feet away I heard him crying.
"He was standing by a fir tree and he was crying. And I started crying, too."
Justin Wilkison, Davyn's 14-year-old brother, said his little brother was right behind him Wednesday afternoon as he was doing chores around the house. Suddenly, Justin turned around and Davyn was gone.
However, at first, Justin was not worried.
“Sometimes he wanders off to the neighbor's house,” Justin Wilkison said. “One time we were playing hide-and-seek and he fell asleep under the neighbor's porch.”
This time, though, Davyn did not appear and the family contacted the Nevada County Sheriff's Office at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal said. NCSO immediately dispatched 30 Search and Rescue workers, which grew to 70 by Thursday morning, when the boy had still not been found.
Search and Rescue workers from Yuba, Placer and El Dorado counties joined their Nevada County counterparts.
However, it was Sieler, a resident who spent the majority of his life in the area, who eventually found the boy.
Davyn was in good condition and seemed amused by all the attention directed his way, as he met members of the media near 11 a.m., just under an hour after being found.
“I slept on the ground,” he told a crowd of residents and local media. “Yeah, it was cold.”
Davyn said his dog, Shadow, chased after a squirrel and he followed the dog and soon became lost.
Davyn's mother, Harmony Blake, said she was very relieved the ordeal was over and her son is safe.
“I had a lot of fears throughout the night,” she said. “I was afraid he'd fallen in the river, encountered random strangers, everything.”
Blake said she knew her boy had been rescued when she heard shouts of joy come from Washington's downtown.
“This is a small town and we help each other out,” said Jason Wilkison, Davyn's father. “It's great to know that this many people care and God bless every one who helped search.”
Washington Hotel owner Henry DeCorte said Davyn is known for his love for the outdoors, but the
wilderness surrounding Washington can present dangers for a small child without navigation skills.
“There's lots of mountain lions around here and a lot of mine shafts,” he said.
Justin Wilkison said he had a dream that his brother was attacked by a mountain lion, but expressed relief that it was only a dream rather than a fatal premonition.
“This story,” Royal said, “has a happy ending.”
To contact Staff Writer Matthew Renda, e-mail mrenda@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4239. To contact Senior Staff Writer Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4230.
Speed: Photo 1 of 45
Davyn Wilkison, 3 Found near Town of Washington 10/13/11
10/13/2011 -- Photo for The Union by John Hart Photo By: John Hart
1341753
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111014/BREAKINGNEWS/111019883&parentprofile=search&template=printart
Mutual Aid- Deer Creek Nevada County 10-20-11
- Photo for The Union by John Hart
Lengthy search called off after injured man located at hospital
OCTOBER, 20 2011
BY LIZ KELLAR AND CHRISTOPHER ROSACKER
STAFF WRITERS
Reports of a man, and possibly a child, screaming for help in the Deer Creek area led to an extensive search Wednesday night and through most of Thursday.
But in the end, one victim — a 57-year-old Nevada City transient with a head injury — reportedly was picked up by an ambulance in the 15000 block of Old Downieville Highway at about 1 p.m. Thursday.
The incident might have been related to a fight at a transient camp, Nevada County's Sheriff's Lt. Shannan Moon said.
“He made his way to the road and a resident called an ambulance for him,” she said. “We're pretty confident he was the subject of our search.”
The man, who was not identified, said he fell in the woods near the creek early Thursday morning, and became unconscious for several hours, Moon said.
A transient camp in the search area on Deer Creek was located, and it is believed there was a disturbance at the camp between several men and women Wednesday night, Moon said, adding the investigation is ongoing.
“We're obviously suspicious since no one came forward, and they were all in the same vicinity,” she said. “They're not being cooperative.”
Moon said the reports of a child calling for help might have been one of the women at the camp.
At least 40 Nevada County Search and Rescue team volunteers scoured the area around Champion Mine Road and the Deer Creek Tribute Trail, based on reports of screams for help coming from the creekbed area.
The calls came into the Nevada City Police Department shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, said Moon.
Officers from Nevada City reported to the area and heard calls for help from what sounded like a man and a child. At approximately 8 p.m., the Nevada County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter assisted in the search Wednesday night, employing infrared heat sensors. However, Moon noted that the rocks were too hot from the day's heat to offer any clues.
“The canyon makes it hard to pinpoint where the screams were coming from,” Moon said.
The helicopter searched until about 9:30 p.m., said neighbor Wayne Watson, who lives above Deer Creek.
“It kept slowly moving around,” he said. “We were guessing at all sorts of things.”
A reverse 911 call program, known as CityWatch, went out to about 2,000 area residents at approximately 12:30 a.m. Thursday. Two Sheriff's officers, a dive team and volunteer search and rescue team members were still combing the area Thursday morning.
“We worked all night last night,” Moon said. “We knew we needed more resources. We asked for mutual aid and got additional teams from Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento counties. They were kind enough to send us a lot of volunteers.”
Moon said that searching the heavily wooded area, with a thick canopy, was a process of elimination. The CHP helicopter searched again Thursday morning, Moon said.
Nevada City Police Department and the California Highway Patrol officers also assisted in the search, which was called off by 5 p.m. Thursday.
To contact Staff Writer Christopher Rosacker, e-mail crosacker@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4236.
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111020/NEWS/111029984&parentprofile=search&template=printart
Lengthy search called off after injured man located at hospital
OCTOBER, 20 2011
BY LIZ KELLAR AND CHRISTOPHER ROSACKER
STAFF WRITERS
Reports of a man, and possibly a child, screaming for help in the Deer Creek area led to an extensive search Wednesday night and through most of Thursday.
But in the end, one victim — a 57-year-old Nevada City transient with a head injury — reportedly was picked up by an ambulance in the 15000 block of Old Downieville Highway at about 1 p.m. Thursday.
The incident might have been related to a fight at a transient camp, Nevada County's Sheriff's Lt. Shannan Moon said.
“He made his way to the road and a resident called an ambulance for him,” she said. “We're pretty confident he was the subject of our search.”
The man, who was not identified, said he fell in the woods near the creek early Thursday morning, and became unconscious for several hours, Moon said.
A transient camp in the search area on Deer Creek was located, and it is believed there was a disturbance at the camp between several men and women Wednesday night, Moon said, adding the investigation is ongoing.
“We're obviously suspicious since no one came forward, and they were all in the same vicinity,” she said. “They're not being cooperative.”
Moon said the reports of a child calling for help might have been one of the women at the camp.
At least 40 Nevada County Search and Rescue team volunteers scoured the area around Champion Mine Road and the Deer Creek Tribute Trail, based on reports of screams for help coming from the creekbed area.
The calls came into the Nevada City Police Department shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, said Moon.
Officers from Nevada City reported to the area and heard calls for help from what sounded like a man and a child. At approximately 8 p.m., the Nevada County Sheriff's Office took over the investigation.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter assisted in the search Wednesday night, employing infrared heat sensors. However, Moon noted that the rocks were too hot from the day's heat to offer any clues.
“The canyon makes it hard to pinpoint where the screams were coming from,” Moon said.
The helicopter searched until about 9:30 p.m., said neighbor Wayne Watson, who lives above Deer Creek.
“It kept slowly moving around,” he said. “We were guessing at all sorts of things.”
A reverse 911 call program, known as CityWatch, went out to about 2,000 area residents at approximately 12:30 a.m. Thursday. Two Sheriff's officers, a dive team and volunteer search and rescue team members were still combing the area Thursday morning.
“We worked all night last night,” Moon said. “We knew we needed more resources. We asked for mutual aid and got additional teams from Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento counties. They were kind enough to send us a lot of volunteers.”
Moon said that searching the heavily wooded area, with a thick canopy, was a process of elimination. The CHP helicopter searched again Thursday morning, Moon said.
Nevada City Police Department and the California Highway Patrol officers also assisted in the search, which was called off by 5 p.m. Thursday.
To contact Staff Writer Christopher Rosacker, e-mail crosacker@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4236.
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111020/NEWS/111029984&parentprofile=search&template=printart
Lover's Leap- stuck climber 10-22-11
West slope members assisted Tahoe team in this after dark rescue and lowering
Monday, July 4, 2011
Amador Mutual Aid- Tragedy Springs search
AMADOR COUNTY, Calif. -- Amador County sheriff’s officials said a hiker who went missing in the Tragedy Creek area of the El Dorado National Forest over the weekend was found safe Monday.
Lauren Ellen DeLaTorre, 53, was hiking with a group of friends and family that were staying at a remote nearby cabin when she went missing on Saturday.
A search was initiated with about 50 ground searchers from Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento County Sheriff's search and rescue teams participating.
The search effort was set to expand on Monday with additional teams and personnel from throughout the region joining the search.
It is unclear where DeLaTorre was found by the search party.
Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/28441203/detail.html#ixzz1RBDsw5pc
Lauren Ellen DeLaTorre, 53, was hiking with a group of friends and family that were staying at a remote nearby cabin when she went missing on Saturday.
A search was initiated with about 50 ground searchers from Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento County Sheriff's search and rescue teams participating.
The search effort was set to expand on Monday with additional teams and personnel from throughout the region joining the search.
It is unclear where DeLaTorre was found by the search party.
Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/28441203/detail.html#ixzz1RBDsw5pc
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Injured Kayaker Upper fork Cosumnes 6-23-11
Here's the story. Six young Germans on a kayaking vacation read about the Consumnes and decided to try it. Apparently it's one of the premier venues in CA. Thursday one of them hurt his shoulder, not sure how. Three companions kayaked 1.5 miles downstream for help, showed up on Rocky Bar road and contacted locals. About 15 SAR people responded to the callout. Calstar located the party but had no hoist and was unable to land in the darkness. Fire crews tried to hike in but turned around due to terrain. SAR OHV tried a couple of other access routes with no success. Foot teams considered hiking in but given the distance, terrain and water decided it was too risky at night. About 8 am (?) H20 did a one-skid landing, picked up the patient and flew him to Pioneer park. A county ambulance took him from there to Marshal.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Lover's Leap Rescue
Sgt Morton: This is a call out for the high angle rescue team for a 33 year old male at lovers leap in strawberry.
Male fell approx 60 feet and is now stranded above the first ledge. Efforts are underway to get a military helicopter, if this fails this will be a backup plan since a storm is expected at 0100 hrs.
Command post is at rock crusher turn out, IC is Dep. Almos. Be prepared for cold wet weather, current temp is 35 degrees.
Someone will need to pickup the appropriate rescue vehicle to respond also.
May 14, 2011
1247am May 15, 2011 Sgt Morton: victim off the side of the hill, in process of being littered to the ambulance. cancel any additional response at this time. Thanx
Male fell approx 60 feet and is now stranded above the first ledge. Efforts are underway to get a military helicopter, if this fails this will be a backup plan since a storm is expected at 0100 hrs.
Command post is at rock crusher turn out, IC is Dep. Almos. Be prepared for cold wet weather, current temp is 35 degrees.
Someone will need to pickup the appropriate rescue vehicle to respond also.
May 14, 2011
1247am May 15, 2011 Sgt Morton: victim off the side of the hill, in process of being littered to the ambulance. cancel any additional response at this time. Thanx
Desolation Search
Thanks to Steve M for posting the Tahoe article. West Slope Mgmt was called out night of June 12, 2001; other teams next morning
JUNE, 17 2011
DYLAN SILVER
DSILVER@TAHOEDAILYTRIBUNE.COM Brandon DesOrmeaux stripped down to nothing. He picked some food, a few articles of clothing, his map and his compass from his pack and put them in his dry-bag. He left his skis, skins, backpack and the rest of his supplies on the tiny island in Rockbound Lake and entered the frigid water naked with only a log as flotation.
“There was a waterfall system that the current of the lake was pushing me into,” Desormeaux remembered. “I had to fight a little bit. It was probably 40 or 50 yards I had to swim. I finally got across. There was ice still in the lake, small little icebergs. I was freezing.”
Thinking he was at Dick's Lake, Desormeaux believed swimming across would be a shortcut to his trail home. In truth, he was dangerously confused. Four days earlier, DesOrmeaux had been dropped off by a friend and planned on hiking from Echo Summit to Emerald Bay. A day over his projected time in Desolation Wilderness, he was off his course by miles and discombobulated by this year's unusual conditions in an area he thought familiar.
“I've navigated through that area a couple times in the winter, so I figured I'd be good, but I've never done it this late in the spring when everything is melting,” he said. “I didn't even realize I was lost or off my path until a day after I was (supposed to return).”
Snowmelt has created temporary streams, rivers and lakes and snow still covers some of the permanent lakes and creeks. If a confusing landscape isn't enough, dangers for hikers, such as spring avalanches and under-snow streams that create weak spots in the snowpack, are numerous. A day after he was supposed to return from the wilderness, DesOrmeaux's friends called El Dorado County Search and Rescue.
“I knew people were going to be freaking out,” he said. “I didn't want to cause trouble, but I knew with people not knowing what really happened and the conditions out there, it was inevitable. People were going to be looking for me.”
Around this time, Saturday afternoon, DesOrmeaux summited a peak to try and get his bearings. In the distance, he could see a trail. He made his way onto what turned out to be the Rubicon Off-Road Trail and into a empty campground, bears and wildlife the only tenants. He pointed in the compass direction for Emerald Bay, but the trail soon turned to a river and the light began to fade.
On top of a granite knoll, he made his berth for the night. With his sleeping bag still on the island, DesOrmeaux built a fire, heated rocks and placed them around him for warmth. He kept the fire going all night and woke with a resolution.
“I knew I had to get my bearings,” he said.
Around this time, about 60 members of El Dorado County Search and Rescue, Douglas County Sheriffs, Placer County Sheriffs and Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue were fanning out along DesOrmeaux's intended route. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was scanning the area from the sky and a Navy helicopter out of Fallon, Nev. was shuttling crews in and out of the backcountry.
“We assigned volunteers to search the most reasonable route that he took,” said incident commander Greg Almos, a member of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department. “We put people in there and ask them to search that area as best they can.”
Even DesOrmeaux's friends went out to look for him. Wes Minton was the one who dropped DesOrmeaux off for his lone trek. He hiked Dick's Peak, searching for any sign that would take him to his lost friend.
“I didn't see any tracks,” Minton said. “I was getting pretty nervous at that point.”
Meanwhile, DesOrmeaux had found his way back to the lake where he left his stuff. He'd also happened across a sign that pointed him in the direction of some named lakes on his map. That's when he realized just how off-track he was.
“I freaked out for about 20 minutes, just being like ‘What am I going to do?'” he said. “But knowing you're not supposed to freak out in situations like that, I calmed down, collected myself, and was just like, ‘Dude, you're smarter than this. You can do it.'”
After stumbling on a backwoods cabin where he rested and left a note for the owner, DesOrmeaux plotted a course out. He was about eight miles from his original route and even farther from his planned final destination. Heading towards Loon Lake was the easiest and fastest way. He left markers all the way.
“This case could've been so much worse,” Almos said. “The area he came out in was so far out there we wouldn't have made it there until the third or fourth day.”
Not gauging his distance traveled each day and the baffling conditions was likely DesOrmeaux's initial problem, Almos said. Yet, having a plan, sufficient supplies, a map, compass and the will to survive were things that he did correctly, Almos added.
Five days after leaving on the hike that would allow him to “just get away” for a couple nights, DesOrmeaux was carted by sheriffs back towards South Lake Tahoe. He learned a lot during his journey, a testament to the bewildering power of Mother Nature.
“Things that you planned on aren't always going to happen, but definitely be prepared for anything,” DesOrmeaux said Wednesday during a midnight hike near Twin Peaks. For which, he didn't bring a flashlight.
JUNE, 17 2011
DYLAN SILVER
DSILVER@TAHOEDAILYTRIBUNE.COM Brandon DesOrmeaux stripped down to nothing. He picked some food, a few articles of clothing, his map and his compass from his pack and put them in his dry-bag. He left his skis, skins, backpack and the rest of his supplies on the tiny island in Rockbound Lake and entered the frigid water naked with only a log as flotation.
“There was a waterfall system that the current of the lake was pushing me into,” Desormeaux remembered. “I had to fight a little bit. It was probably 40 or 50 yards I had to swim. I finally got across. There was ice still in the lake, small little icebergs. I was freezing.”
Thinking he was at Dick's Lake, Desormeaux believed swimming across would be a shortcut to his trail home. In truth, he was dangerously confused. Four days earlier, DesOrmeaux had been dropped off by a friend and planned on hiking from Echo Summit to Emerald Bay. A day over his projected time in Desolation Wilderness, he was off his course by miles and discombobulated by this year's unusual conditions in an area he thought familiar.
“I've navigated through that area a couple times in the winter, so I figured I'd be good, but I've never done it this late in the spring when everything is melting,” he said. “I didn't even realize I was lost or off my path until a day after I was (supposed to return).”
Snowmelt has created temporary streams, rivers and lakes and snow still covers some of the permanent lakes and creeks. If a confusing landscape isn't enough, dangers for hikers, such as spring avalanches and under-snow streams that create weak spots in the snowpack, are numerous. A day after he was supposed to return from the wilderness, DesOrmeaux's friends called El Dorado County Search and Rescue.
“I knew people were going to be freaking out,” he said. “I didn't want to cause trouble, but I knew with people not knowing what really happened and the conditions out there, it was inevitable. People were going to be looking for me.”
Around this time, Saturday afternoon, DesOrmeaux summited a peak to try and get his bearings. In the distance, he could see a trail. He made his way onto what turned out to be the Rubicon Off-Road Trail and into a empty campground, bears and wildlife the only tenants. He pointed in the compass direction for Emerald Bay, but the trail soon turned to a river and the light began to fade.
On top of a granite knoll, he made his berth for the night. With his sleeping bag still on the island, DesOrmeaux built a fire, heated rocks and placed them around him for warmth. He kept the fire going all night and woke with a resolution.
“I knew I had to get my bearings,” he said.
Around this time, about 60 members of El Dorado County Search and Rescue, Douglas County Sheriffs, Placer County Sheriffs and Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue were fanning out along DesOrmeaux's intended route. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was scanning the area from the sky and a Navy helicopter out of Fallon, Nev. was shuttling crews in and out of the backcountry.
“We assigned volunteers to search the most reasonable route that he took,” said incident commander Greg Almos, a member of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department. “We put people in there and ask them to search that area as best they can.”
Even DesOrmeaux's friends went out to look for him. Wes Minton was the one who dropped DesOrmeaux off for his lone trek. He hiked Dick's Peak, searching for any sign that would take him to his lost friend.
“I didn't see any tracks,” Minton said. “I was getting pretty nervous at that point.”
Meanwhile, DesOrmeaux had found his way back to the lake where he left his stuff. He'd also happened across a sign that pointed him in the direction of some named lakes on his map. That's when he realized just how off-track he was.
“I freaked out for about 20 minutes, just being like ‘What am I going to do?'” he said. “But knowing you're not supposed to freak out in situations like that, I calmed down, collected myself, and was just like, ‘Dude, you're smarter than this. You can do it.'”
After stumbling on a backwoods cabin where he rested and left a note for the owner, DesOrmeaux plotted a course out. He was about eight miles from his original route and even farther from his planned final destination. Heading towards Loon Lake was the easiest and fastest way. He left markers all the way.
“This case could've been so much worse,” Almos said. “The area he came out in was so far out there we wouldn't have made it there until the third or fourth day.”
Not gauging his distance traveled each day and the baffling conditions was likely DesOrmeaux's initial problem, Almos said. Yet, having a plan, sufficient supplies, a map, compass and the will to survive were things that he did correctly, Almos added.
Five days after leaving on the hike that would allow him to “just get away” for a couple nights, DesOrmeaux was carted by sheriffs back towards South Lake Tahoe. He learned a lot during his journey, a testament to the bewildering power of Mother Nature.
“Things that you planned on aren't always going to happen, but definitely be prepared for anything,” DesOrmeaux said Wednesday during a midnight hike near Twin Peaks. For which, he didn't bring a flashlight.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Missing Snowboarder - Sierra at Tahoe
West slope EDSAR was called out last night to assist in this search on the morning of 3-27-11. Unfortunately the outcome was not good, per the EDSO release:
Search and Rescue Volunteers Located Missing Subject
Department:
Sheriff
Bryan Golmitz
Contact:
Date:
March 27, 2011
Phone#:
March 26 at 5:00 pm,
El Dorado County Sheriff Search and Rescue is currently working an active search at Sierra at Tahoe Resort. Searchers are looking for a snowboarder who went missing while in the area of Upper Powderhorn Trail in the West Bowl area of the resort. The snowboarder has been identified as Phillip Walker, 22 years, resident of San Jose, CA. Phillip was snowboarding with his brother and friends when he went missing. Phillip is considered an intermediate snowboarder and was dressed appropriately for the conditions, however he was not prepared to overnight in the area. Due to harsh weather conditions searching was scaled back during the nigh-time hours.
March 27 at 5:00 am,
The search for the missing snowboarder continues. Due to the size of the area, terrain and hazardous weather the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office requested mutual aid to assist in the search. Currently there are approximately 60 searchers in the area. The search teams are using shoe shoes, skis, snowmobiles and a snow cat (tracked vehicle) to aid in the search.
March 27, 11:50 am, Search and Rescue volunteers located the missing subject. The subject was found deceased in a tree well (a depression next to a tree, created by the snow) and he was covered in several inches snow. The initial investigation suggests Phillip impacted the tree, however it has not been determined if the impact or the winter weather caused his death.
The family of Phillip Walker has been notified of the tragic event. The Sheriff's Office extends it deepest condolences to the family.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Nevada County Mutual Aid - Missing 18 yr old
Truckee man, 18, found dead Tuesday near Glenshire
Body found in open wooded area
UPDATE: 3:53 p.m. TuesdayTRUCKEE, Calif. — An 18-year-old Truckee man known by many in the region as an avid and talented freeskier was found dead Tuesday morning not far from his Glenshire home, officials said.
A Truckee resident found the dead body of Andre Simonpietri at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, in an open wooded area in Glenshire, said Truckee Police Capt. Harwood Mitchell in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview.
“No foul play is suspected in the death,” Mitchell said.
According to a missing persons report sent to regional media earlier Tuesday, Simonpietri was last seen walking the family dog in a Glenshire neighborhood at about 11 a.m. Sunday, March 13.
Police reported the dog was found later that day wandering the woods east of Glenshire, and it was returned to family.
On Monday, the Nevada County Search and Rescue Team began looking for Simonpietri, according to the report, and it restarted its search Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Simonpietri was a competitive freeskier who had experienced success in Junior Olympic halfpipe and slopestyle contests at a young age, among other national competitions.
In 2008 and 2009, he was one of several hand-selected skiers chosen by Roy Tuscany of the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation to participate in the annual Trains Slopestyle Contest at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort.
“He possessed the ability to ski at a level way past his age,” Tuscany said of Simonpietri. “The talent he had on a pair of skis was something that isn't given to everybody. It was so natural to him. And his ability to strive within that natural talent was mind-blowing.”
Tuscany said Simonpietri will be missed both locally and by the ski community as a whole.
“In the ski world he was really blossoming into something. This is a big hit for the Tahoe community, and also for the entire ski community,” Tuscany said.
Details on a memorial service were unknown as of Tuesday afternoon.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Fall Trail Search
The subject was a 48-year old female, with dementia, heart troubles,
and in generally poor health. She reportedly spent much of Wednesday
(March 2nd) looking for her car keys, which she had misplaced. She called
her daughter, saying she found her keys, and apparently intended to drive
somewhere. Her car veered off Fall Trail road, hitting a rock.
Around 2000 Wednesday, a neighbor in the area heard someone trip over some
piled wood in his yard. When he called out, a women responded, apologized,
and said she was looking for her kids. Nobody else in the area was out
looking for their kids, so it seems likely this was the subject.
The search began Thursday evening, after dark. Several canine and foot
teams searched the area in hasty mode. One canine team reported interest
near (or on?) the pedestrian bridge over highway 50. Another reported a
cadaver alert twice, on the northeast portion of the ridgeline (as it turns
out, this may have been an accurate clue). Another dog tracked a trail
back to the subject's house, which had already been searched. Other than
scents, no clues were found (I think?), and the search was postponed until
morning, so searchers had an opportunity to rest before daylight. Tracks,
from those carrying GPSes, were uploaded into TNP on Jamey's laptop.
In the morning, search efforts focused on the area along the bike trail
and the hillside up toward Fall Trail road. This was moderate to steep
terrain, with low brush and leaves. The ground was still moist, and
slippery in areas. Tracks from people, deer, goats, dogs, and eventually
other searchers were everywhere. As the gradient went from northeast to
the east, it became steeper and more heavily vegetated. Mine shafts and
natural hazards dotted the area. One of the canines picked up a cadaver
scent in a drainage on a steep slope east of the subject residence and
north of the vehicle. This was the subject.
Reaching the subject was difficult because of the terrain, and just below
the subject was a rocky drop-off. A group with chainsaws and garden
shears cleared a pathway while the subject was bagged and put into a
stokes litter. The cliff team set up a simple pull system to haul the
litter out of the drainage in three stages. Once onto slightly less steep
terrain, several people pulled a rope attached to the litter, providing
the force to move the litter uphill, while five others carried the litter,
essentially just keeping it off the ground. This system worked well. We
stopped several times to rest, and met the coroner at the top of the
ridge where R1 and R3 had parked.
Bernie ordered sandwiches for everyone. Teams uploaded tracks to TNP on
Jamie's laptop, as with the night before. The subject's location was also
marked. I think we had everything wrapped up and shut down by about 1500.
Tait
and in generally poor health. She reportedly spent much of Wednesday
(March 2nd) looking for her car keys, which she had misplaced. She called
her daughter, saying she found her keys, and apparently intended to drive
somewhere. Her car veered off Fall Trail road, hitting a rock.
Around 2000 Wednesday, a neighbor in the area heard someone trip over some
piled wood in his yard. When he called out, a women responded, apologized,
and said she was looking for her kids. Nobody else in the area was out
looking for their kids, so it seems likely this was the subject.
The search began Thursday evening, after dark. Several canine and foot
teams searched the area in hasty mode. One canine team reported interest
near (or on?) the pedestrian bridge over highway 50. Another reported a
cadaver alert twice, on the northeast portion of the ridgeline (as it turns
out, this may have been an accurate clue). Another dog tracked a trail
back to the subject's house, which had already been searched. Other than
scents, no clues were found (I think?), and the search was postponed until
morning, so searchers had an opportunity to rest before daylight. Tracks,
from those carrying GPSes, were uploaded into TNP on Jamey's laptop.
In the morning, search efforts focused on the area along the bike trail
and the hillside up toward Fall Trail road. This was moderate to steep
terrain, with low brush and leaves. The ground was still moist, and
slippery in areas. Tracks from people, deer, goats, dogs, and eventually
other searchers were everywhere. As the gradient went from northeast to
the east, it became steeper and more heavily vegetated. Mine shafts and
natural hazards dotted the area. One of the canines picked up a cadaver
scent in a drainage on a steep slope east of the subject residence and
north of the vehicle. This was the subject.
Reaching the subject was difficult because of the terrain, and just below
the subject was a rocky drop-off. A group with chainsaws and garden
shears cleared a pathway while the subject was bagged and put into a
stokes litter. The cliff team set up a simple pull system to haul the
litter out of the drainage in three stages. Once onto slightly less steep
terrain, several people pulled a rope attached to the litter, providing
the force to move the litter uphill, while five others carried the litter,
essentially just keeping it off the ground. This system worked well. We
stopped several times to rest, and met the coroner at the top of the
ridge where R1 and R3 had parked.
Bernie ordered sandwiches for everyone. Teams uploaded tracks to TNP on
Jamie's laptop, as with the night before. The subject's location was also
marked. I think we had everything wrapped up and shut down by about 1500.
Tait
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Uncle Tom's Cabin OHV Sar
A young female adult made a wrong turn on Wentworth Springs Road from Uncle Tom's cabin in an older Toyota pickup. And then proceeded to be stuck in the snow on the unplowed road. Overnight, her calls for help were heard on Ch Channel 40. Sgt Morton directed OHV team members to her location for an extraction.
