Deschutes SAR rescues 2 snowmobilers stuck in snow

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers on Sunday night brought to safety two men whose snowmobiles got stuck in deep snow on Sheridan Mountain, about 20 miles west of Sunriver.

County 911 dispatchers got a call around 4:30 p.m. from a Sunriver woman, reporting that Tony Daniels, 27, of Sunriver, had called to say he and his friend, Jack Duffy, 26, of Bend, had gotten their snowmobiles stuck in deep snow on Sheridan Mountain, said sheriff’s Deputy Jim Whitcomb, assistant DCSO SAR coordinator.

Dispatchers advised the woman to have Daniels call 911, so their actual location could be determined, Whitcomb said. She told dispatchers the two men were going to try to hike up to the Sheridan Mountain snow shelter, so they could stay warm in hopes of being rescued.

Daniels was able to call 911, confirming they were located near the snow shelter. A SAR deputy was able to reach Daniels, who confirmed they made it to the shelter after about a quarter-mile hike and had a means to start a fire and water to drink, but no food.

Whitcomb said Daniels told the deputy they had just left the shelter earlier and were on their way down the mountain when they got stuck while riding off-trail. When Daniels was told SAR would not help to locate the stuck snowmobiles, Daniels replied he understood and did not want to attempt that in the dark.

Three SAR volunteers responded to snowmobile Trail 2, where it intersects with River Summit Drive west of Sunriver. A SAR tracked Ranger deployed on the trail around 7:45 p.m. to travel about 9 1/2 miles to the shelter, with snow up to the bottom of the Ranger’s door.

Around 8:30 p.m., SAR volunteers heard from snowmobilers who had made contact with Daniels and Duffy. Whitcomb said the snowmobilers assisted SAR by making snowmobile tracks on the trail, to aid travel in deeper snow as the trail climbed toward the shelter.

The SAR volunteers reached the shelter around 9:20 and made contact with Daniels and Duffy, soon beginning to take them back down the mountain. They arrived at the Trail 2 intersection with River Summit Drive around 10:45 p.m., Whitcomb said. The pair were given a lift to where their vehicle was parked, at River Summit Drive and Forest Service Road 40.