12/24/2016 – Lost Snowboarder

SAR Staff, Hasty Team, SVU, and WCSAR responded to the entrance to Sunridge Estates, just below the Reindeer Lodge to search for a lost snowboarder from the Mt. Rose Ski Resort. A 911 call from the subject generated a cell phone ping, but his phone died shortly after the call. 4×4 vehicles and a tracked ATV were used to transport back country foot teams to the end of Hibbits Trail Road, which put them approximately .9 of a mile from the subject’s location. The area is extremely difficult to traverse due to the steep grade of the area, thick manzanita, snow, and creek crossings. When the first team arrived at the location of the cell phone pings, no one was there, with no evidence of anyone being there. A call was put in for RAVEN to assist, but shortly after that, the subject was located at the Winter’s Creek Lodge. He had become tired of waiting for assistance, so he decided to hike back up hill to the ski resort (after he had been told to stay in place by dispatch). Ground teams were either brought out on the route they had gone in on, or went down a ridge line to Davis Creek Park.