CEDAR CITY — Searchers located and rescued two snowmobilers in the Yankee Meadows area of Parowan Canyon early Tuesday morning.
Iron County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Humphries told Cedar City News that emergency dispatchers received a call at 11:49 p.m. Monday that reported the pair as overdue.
“They did find a vehicle on SR-143,” Humphries said. “That’s how they knew the approximate area they were in.”
The Iron County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue snowmobile team was deployed to help search the trails in the area. Meanwhile, the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter provided assistance from the air, and a Garfield County Sheriff’s deputy checked a cabin near the location where a cellphone belonging to one of the individuals had last pinged.
“Once they found their truck, it took about an hour to find them,” Humphries said. “They just went up to that area and located them fairly quickly. They had flashlights, so they were flashing their lights when they could see the four-wheelers coming slowly.”
Shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday, rescuers were able to reach the man and woman, who had been huddled together next to a fire they had built. Both were unharmed.
“They took fuel from one of the sleds, got some tree limbs and started a fire,” Humphries said. “They were well-prepared, having thermal blankets and proper supplies, which was very impressive. So they were able to sustain and be out there in the dark and the cold until we were able to locate them.”
Humphries said the pair also did the right thing by staying together after one of their snowmobiles had gotten stuck.
“They were smart, because lots of times people separate,” he said. “Staying together is key and they did do that.
“The one disadvantage is they just didn’t tell people where they were going.”
For those who plan to go snowmobiling, it’s best to let others know what trails you plan to be on and when you plan to return, Humphries added.
This rule of thumb reminder also applies to those going cross-country skiing or snowshoeing or engaging in similar winter recreation activities.
“It’s always best to let somebody know what trail you’re going to be on, so that when you’re overdue we can narrow it down quicker,” Humphries said.
“It’s a success story because they were prepared,” he added. “It could have been very bad if they hadn’t been.”
This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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