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5 skiers stranded by bad conditions
By Chris Noon
When all heck
breaks loose, why not really be busy! With RMRU
members Kevin and Walt Walker, and Steve Vaughn
and Chuck Benson from the Hemet Search and Rescue
Team a mile ahead trying to locate the two
stranded skiers below Chinquapin flat, we the
remaining RMRU members were slowly (because of an
uncooperative sled) dragging the team toboggan up
the steep slope to where the injured pair were
dug in. We had been pulling the toboggan for
about an hour when Walt radioed down to us that
his team had come across three young men making
their way down the icy slope. He then informed us
that they were part of a group of eight that had
been cross-country skiing during the day and that
they had attempted to make it down the palisades
and had to stop when nightfall overtook them.
They did have a fire going though, and no one was
injured. The plan then was to continue pulling
the toboggan up, and when we reached the altitude
of the group several of us would then traverse
over to them and help the group back down. Well,
we had been pulling the sled for about another
hour when Walt radioed down to us that his team
was now on water ice, and that it would be too
dangerous to attempt pulling the toboggan across
the ice. You can imagine how we felt, but there
was no choice but to lower the toboggan back to
Humber and then drag it up to the saddle and then
out the ridge to Chinquapin where it could then
be lowered to the stranded skiers. I was held
back at base while the rest of the group started
for the saddle. The reason being, I would be in
the team going back up to where the group of five
was held up. As soon as fellow team members Art
Bridge and Tom Aldrich arrived at Humber, the
three of us started up the slope towards the
faint glow of a camp fire. Art was the first one
to the group closely followed by Tom and myself.
All were in good spirits and very glad to see us.
We decided it would be a good idea to wait until
morning to attempt a rescue. At first light we
decided it would be easier to guide the group
down the slope instead of attempting to go back
up. Everyone cooperated with us and made the
rescue much easier than it could have been. Once
back at base we were then ready to help with the
main rescue mission.
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