Crook County SO Search and Rescue assists more stranded motorists to safety — 14 missions so far this year

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Crook County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue undertook two more rescues of motorists stranded in the snow on Sunday, bringing this year’s total such operations to 14 and more than 30 people rescued.

Around 1:45 a.m., dispatchers were notified of a stranded motorist in the Mill Creek/Harvey Gap area, about 20 miles north of Prineville, Deputy Andy Pearson said.

The motorist was able to make an SOS call that provided coordinates, and informed dispatchers four people were stranded, the deputy said. Because it was an SOS call, no return calls were possible.

SAR responded with eight volunteer members and deployed with four vehicles, snowmobiles and the tracked side-by-side. SAR base managed the search area using ham radio, radios and GPS communications.

SAR was able to get a fully chained-up vehicle to the Harvey Gap area from a lower staging area, Pearson said. The tracked vehicle and a snowmobile were deployed to the coordinates farther along the road. The people were found near the location of a previous mission.

The four people were brought to the Harvey Gap area by the tracked side-by-side and transferred to the vehicle, then brought down and taken to a home in Prineville, Pearson said.

Shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday, dispatchers were notified of another stranded motorist, again with an SOS call that provided coordinates for the person on the 2733 Road near Frog Pond, also about 20 miles north of Prineville, Pearson said. Again, a return call was not possible, but dispatchers learned there was just one person and he was not equipped for the elements.

SAR responded with 11 members and deployed five vehicles, snowmobiles and the tracked side-by-side, Pearson said. SAR base again managed communications with ham radios, radios and GPS.

The initial deputy on the call found friends of the motorist who were looking for him in the McKay Saddle area, but they also could not proceed farther due to the snow, Pearson said.

SAR deployed from the same staging area as the call earlier Sunday. Using three snowmobiles and the tracked side-by-side, SAR members drove several miles to the motorist and brought him to the staging area in the snowmobiles and the side-by-side.

Friends of the man picked him up at the staging area and took him home.

As it turns out, Pearson said, the motorist “was in the mountains to help others who had gotten stuck and exceeded his and his vehicle’s capabilities.”

While traveling, let someone know where you are going and stick with your plan. Bring adequate clothing, not clothing for the start of the trip, but for where you are going to be in the mountains.

For more information about backcountry safety, please check out https://www.ccssar.org/backcountry.htm