Snowmobiler stuck in deep snow rescued near Mt. Bachelor

A 38-year-old Bend snowmobiler who got stuck in waist-deep snow near Mt. Bachelor was rescued early Friday by Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers, assisted by an AirLink helicopter, officials said.

Deschutes County 911 received a call just after 1 a.m. from a woman reporting that her husband, Patrick Boni, was stuck in the snow near Mt. Bachelor and possibly in distress, said sheriff’s Sgt. Nathan Garibay, the county’s emergency services manager and assistant SAR coordinator.

Boni had left on a ride Thursday afternoon and got stuck while on his way back to his vehicle, Garibay said.

Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and patrol deputies worked to pinpoint Boni’s location and found a probable spot, southeast of the ski resort.

Mt. Bachelor operations staff in a snowcat helped find where Boni’s snowmobile tracks left the groomed “catch line.” An AirLink helicopter spotted Boni’s helmet light and confirmed he was stuck in the deep snow about 500 feet down a drainage from the catch line, in the trees, Garibay said.

A total of 11 SAR volunteers deployed from Sunrise Lodge, supported by two SAR air operations volunteers, two incident management team volunteers and two deputies, the sergeant said.

The volunteers rode their snowmobiles as close as they could to Boni, then traveled by snowshoe down into the drainage, where they made contact with Boni and began warming him up.

Boni was provided snowshoes and was able to snowshoe back to the catch line, with help, then taken to Mt. Bachelor by snowcat, arriving around 7:30 a.m. Garibay said he was evaluated by a SAR medic and the resort’s medical clinic staff, and opted out of further medical care.

Garibay said Boni is an experienced rider and was equipped for the weather with appropriate clothing and a pack with some supplies. But the sergeant noted that extreme cold weather, with sub-zero temperatures, can quickly cause cold-related injuries.

“We encourage backcountry adventurers to take adequate supplies in case they get lost or stuck, inform someone of their travel plans, and to consider not traveling alone,” Garibay said in a news release.

Garibay told NewsChannel 21, “Snowmobiles are not supposed to be in that area, but it appears he entered into the area accidentally.”