TNSAR Search 4/01/2017
Snowboarder's Long Hike- Sun Bowl to Grouse Creek
Submitted by Dirk Schoonmaker
A 39 year old snowboarder from Arizona slid off the side of the return road from Sunbowl at Squaw Valley and decided to keep going down- all the way to the Grouse Creek/Five Lakes juncture, about 5 miles away. He got separated from his friend at about 3 pm after getting off the Headwall Chair.
Squaw Patrol was alerted about 7 pm by his friend after having dinner etc. and not reuniting. TNSAR was activated at 8 pm. Squaw Valley sent out patrollers on snowmobiles to search in bounds off Headwall and alerted mountain personnel to keep an eye out. About 9 a sharp eyed groomer reported a snowboard track leading down below the return road from Sunbowl.
3 skiers got a ride from Squaw Valley to the track departure point and started following it. After a short downhill run it turned into uphill post holes and the team figured this was not it- this guy walked back to the road- but it soon headed downhill again and proceeded to posthole all the way down Five Lakes Creek to the Grouse Creek confluence, crossing 3 creeks en route. Along the way the team found goggles and snowboard.
A Calstar helicopter arrived overhead when the team was about a half mile from his bivy site and were able to confirm through night vision goggles that he was up and running in circles. The helicopter preferred not to land until daylight, 6 hours away.
The team caught up to him at 12:30 and he was cold, wet and hungry but said he could hike out 2.5 hours and 2000 vertical feet to the top of Alpine so he was fed and the hike out commenced. 4.5 hours later the group topped out- it was a long, slow hike due to the snowboarder's exhaustion. Alpine Meadows groomers transported the team to the base where pizza and a ride to Squaw Valley command post awaited. Everybody was in bed by 6 am.
Sheriff | Dispatch | CommVan | Truck | Skiers | Snowcats | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Riella Roy Nevens | Laura Read | Ray O'Brien Coordinator | Mark Johnson Troy Corliss Alex Heyman Pat Grisel Steve Hoyt Scott Schroepfer | Dirk Schoonmaker Calvin Mitchell Eric Stendell | Squaw Groomer: Unknown but IMPORTANT! Alpine Groomers/Transport: Tiffany and Sam CalStar6 Helicopter |