TWO HIKERS RESCUED ON SNOW PEAK 

Republic, WA December 15. Friday evening 911 dispatch received an emergency cell phone call from two hikers lost on the trail to the Snow Peak cabin located in the Colville National Forest. The hikers reported to be tired, cold and disoriented, and requested assistance out of the forest. The Ferry County Search and Rescue (SAR) team received a request from 911 to respond. The SAR team quickly mobilized and established an Operations Base at the Forest Service rest area on Highway 20 which was manned by Mike Robinson and Justin Smith.

At 10:00 PM , with temperatures in the low teens, gusting winds, and the accumulation of snow from several recent storms, three members of the SAR team headed up the Sherman Loop trail toward Snow Peak . After two hours of tracking intermittent prints obscured by blowing snow, plus utilizing first-hand knowledge of the area, GPS technology, and information relayed from Base, SAR team members Clifford Cahoon, Jim Beckwith, and Steve Anthes located the two lost hikers approximately one mile below the Snow Peak cabin.

The SAR team quickly assessed the hikers for hypothermia, dehydration, and any injuries. Hot liquids and energy bars were gladly consumed by the two hikers. The SAR team provided hand and feet warmers and additional warm clothing for the chilled hikers. The hikers gear was packed and the SAR team escorted them down the trail. At 5:00 AM the team reached the trailhead at Sherman Pass and was met by the Operations Base team. The hikers were given additional liquids and sandwiches…and were safely on their way home.

The two hikers, both men in their thirties from Colville , did the right thing. Caught in a storm with the sun setting, disoriented and off the trail, they found shelter under the limbs of a large tree. They set a flashing beacon facing the highway, got into their sleeping bags, and called 911. Anyone can get lost in the woods, but survival and a successful rescue is the result of using common sense, planning ahead, and being prepared.