2 skiers lost in Cache County backcountry found safe after 7 hour search

Photo: Skithebeav.com

CACHE COUNTY, Utah, Jan. 4, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The Cache County Sheriff’s Office has located two Beaver Mountain employees who were lost in the backcountry.

Authorities were alerted at 5 p.m. Tuesday after one of the workers did not return for a work shift and it was learned the two intended to go skiing.

 

 

A news release from Cache County Sheriff’s Office said the two employees, Luke Stevenson and Allison Huish, were found and rescued near Peterson Hollow in the Franklin Basin at approximately 11:45 p.m. Tuesday.

The skiers were found in good health, neither requiring medical attention, the news release said.

Earlier that day, the two individuals went skiing. One of them was scheduled to work at 4 p.m. and when they failed to arrive, Beaver Mountain Ski Patrol started searching the resort.

They called the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, and Search and Rescue teams were sent to the area around 5 p.m. to expand the search to the Franklin Basin. The two skiers had gone on the back side of Beaver Mountain and found themselves in a difficult position to continue down or go back up the mountain.

Ski patrol was able to find their tracks and later found them trying to climb back up the mountain. Ski patrol made contact with Search and Rescue and they were able to get snowmobiles into the area and get the skiers down to the road where the Snow Cat was able to bring them back to safety. Search and Rescue finished at around 3:30 a.m.

All rescue teams returned safely.

The news release said: “We are grateful to the ski patrol for their phenomenal work in locating the skiers, Search and Rescue, and many others for their coordinated search efforts in finding and rescuing the individuals.”

Sgt. Paul Todd of Search and Rescue, reminds everyone going skiing in the backcountry to bring proper equipment, food, water, and avalanche beacons, and let people know your time of departure and estimated time of return.

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