Missing S. Calif. couple found alive at Crater Lake

A Southern California couple who went missing on Friday after a visit to Bend were located Wednesday afternoon at Crater Lake National Park.

Rangers said they rescued three people after snowstorms forced them to take refuge in a heated restroom in Rim Village.

A rotary snowplow cleared a path on the three-mile road from park headquarters to Rim Village to reach the stranded visitors.

Stacey Valle, 27, and Jason Hoang, 27, both from the Los Angeles County area, flew from to Portland last week and were traveling around the state.

Valle and Hoang had last been seen Friday afternoon having lunch at Wild Rose in Downtown Bend. Hours later, family had not heard from them.

Investigators were able to get a ping off Hoang’s cellphone putting the couple on Lakeshore Drive just north of Klamath Falls, hours after eating lunch in downtown Bend.

Park staff were notified by family members of an overdue backcountry snowshoer on Friday and found Valle and Hoang also located in the same restroom, keeping warm.

Severe weather conditions and the risk of avalanches prevented staff from attempting to reach Rim Village until Wednesday.

None of the people located sustained serious injuries, rangers said.