Stranded Snowmobilers Rescued From Wyoming Mountains
Authorities in Carbon County made two separate rescues to wrap up the new year.
According to the Carbon County Sheriff's Office, on December 24, the sheriff's office received a report that three snowmobile riders were stuck and communicating with a satellite communication device.
The sheriff's office says the lost party left from a parking lot on the Albany County side of the mountain. Crews from Ryan Park, Saratoga and Encampment met with a sheriff's deputy who had established a command post off of Highway 130.
A snowcat was able to get within 1/4 mile of the party before it had to stop and wait due to visibility concerns.
The snowcat was able to contact the last party via radio and discovered that they had a fire and all snow machines worked; they were just unable to move.
As search and rescue snowmobiles were headed in, they encountered a man walking along the highway. The man told authorities he was walking to a snow survey cabin to spend Christmas.
Search and rescue members determined that due to lack of heat in the cabin, they needed to retrieve the man and bring him and his dog back to the parking lot.
After retrieving the man from the cabin, search and rescue crews continued on with their original mission. Authorities say one of the snowmobilers was able to walk to the snowcat while the other two road their machines to the snowcat. All parties arrived at the command post.
December 28 Rescue
Crews in Carbon County found themselves conducting another rescue on December 28.
According to the sheriff's office, at roughly 6:30 p.m. a Garmin emergency button was pressed and the coordinates of the party were sent to dispatch.
A message that there were two snowmobile riders who had become stuck was also sent to dispatch.
Search and rescue crews set up a command post off of Highway 130.
At roughly 9:30 p.m. rescuers made contact with the lost party and began working to get them unstuck. At roughly 10:30 p.m., the missing party became unstuck. They made it back to their truck at 11:52 p.m.