Snowmobilers rescued in Gunnison County

by | Feb 16, 2016 | News, Previous Missions |

The Mountain Mail,  Samantha Gillespie, February 16, 2016

Several search and rescue crews rescued two missing snowmobilers without injury at 4 p.m. Friday following a 15-hour search in Cottonwood Pass and Taylor Park, according to a Western Mountain Rescue Team press release.  Chaffee County requested the Western Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT) to search Gunnison County around 1 p.m. Friday after the two snowmobilers from Arkansas, who were not identified, did not return from their ride.

 The snowmobilers started in Chaffee County to ride to Taylor Park and back Thursday, but they reportedly did not return to their vehicles at the trailhead, and they last contacted family at the top of Cottonwood Pass around 2 p.m.  WMRT requested assistance from Crested Butte Search and Rescue, and both Crested Butte and Gunnison sheriff’s deputies searched Cottonwood Pass and Tincup areas with snowmobiles before sunrise, the release stated.  At daybreak WMST took over the search and, working in conjunction with Chaffee County Search and Rescue, continued searching by snowmobile while using St. Mary’s Careflight’s four helicopters from Montrose to survey a larger search area.

Around 10:45 a.m. one of the snowmobilers arrived at the Taylor Park Trading Post and explained the location of the other driver, who was uninjured but stuck and exhausted, the release stated.  Search and rescue workers were able to free the snowmobile and take the snowmobilers back to the trading post.  Apparently, the snowmobilers had reached Taylor Pass Thursday but continued exploring to the west, taking Forest Service Road 748 toward Spring Creek, WMRT reported.

Their snowmobiles were inadequate for the deep, soft snow and got stuck.  They spent the night after becoming exhausted from trying to free their snowmobiles, the release stated.  No injuries were reported.

Eight WMRT members responded, and additional agencies participating included Crested Butte Search and Rescue, Chaffee County Search and Rescue North, Chaffee County Search and Rescue South, Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary’s Careflight.