It may be mid-May, but there’s still enough snow to strand travelers in Crook County’s backcountry

Sheriff's SAR has been out on nearly 2-dozen missions this year -- the latest on Saturday

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Even though the snow is melting, there’s still plenty enough to get stuck – as Crook County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue knows, having been out on nearly two-dozen stranded-motorist rescues this year, the latest this weekend involving three stranded people, including a 9-year-old.

County 911 dispatchers were notified around 7p.m. Saturday of the three people stuck in the snow somewhere in the Ochoco Mountains and seeking help, Deputy Andy Pearson said.

Due to spotty cellphone coverage in the area, only the 911 call out was possible, providing possible coordinates for the stranded people, Pearson said.

The coordinates placed them on Forest Service Road 22, passed the Walton Lake Snow-Park, about 32 miles east of Prineville.

Crook County SAR was notified and nine volunteers responded, Pearson said. The SAR team took four vehicles, a snowmobile and the tracked Ranger, which was needed due to the snow still in the area.

The search was managed from the SAR command post, using GPS communication and the “ham’ (amateur radio) network, the deputy said.

The three people were located and brought back to the staging area in the Ranger, then brought back to Prineville.

A sign of the still-challenging conditions: One SAR vehicle got stuck in the slush and snow and had to be pulled out by the team.

“Whenever traveling the mountains, please let someone know where you will be traveling, and take adequate clothing and provisions for an extended stay,” Pearson added.