SAR Staff and the SVU were requested to assist NHP and NDOT with checking for stranded vehicles on the Mt. Rose highway from Galena to the Tahoe Meadows. Heavy snowfall and high winds were creating whiteout conditions and deep drifting across the highway. The highway was closed, so a snowcat was used to check on four vehicles that were located. All occupants had been previously evacuated to a safe location. It had been feared that some stranded vehicles had not been seen on previous checks by NHP and NDOT.

SAR Staff, Hasty Team, SVU, and WCSAR responded to the Tahoe Meadows to locate a lost skier. He reported that he could see Incline Lake and was at the dam. Near blizzard conditions existed at the time. Ground teams accessed the location and safely guided the subject to staging.

SAR Staff, Hasty Team, SVU, and WCSAR began responding to the Tahoe Meadows area on the report of two stranded subjects. As more information garnered, it was learned that one of the subject’s snowbike was having a mechanical issue, and they were requesting assistance to get it back to highway. SAR response was cancelled.

SAR Staff, Hasty Team, and WCSAR responded to the green belt area in Caughlin Ranch on the report of an injured hiker/walker. SAR personnel were on scene at the patient first, quickly followed by RFD and REMSA. The subject was brought out to staging.

SAR Staff and the SVU staged at the Washoe Lake State Park to locate a vehicle that some hikers had come upon earlier in the day. They said it appeared to be stuck and that no one was in the area. SVU personnel were able to locate the vehicle, and through some investigation on the part of SAR Staff and the IMT, it was discovered that the owner of the vehicle had loaned the car to his son months ago. The son was contacted and it was learned that he had become stuck before the snow earlier this week, and left the vehicle where it was found.