Just got called for a search tomorrow. Missing father and 3 teen
kids. A ski search due to deep snow and we are expecting a bunch
more the next two days.

Links
chico paper
http://www.chicoer.com/publicsafety/ci_7750926

Map and sat. photo http://www2.chicoer.com/olextras/maps/20071218_inskipsearch.html

Good luck. We spent some time in that area a few years ago, lots of places for people to get into trouble...

I hope they are OK. But how far back do you need to go to find a Christmas tree? That's what Foxnews says they were doing...

Stay safe-

Pete

Stay safe and good luck!

They were found alive!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317428,00.html

Just read the news, glad they are safe with no injuries. They were very lucky though. IMO, knowing the terrain and how much snow that area gets its just inexusable.

I think the father's employer was right on when he said "It's a very merry Christmas now."

Actually, they didn't do so badly. They left word where they were going, and didn't go somewhere else. They drank water but didn't eat snow because it could encourage hypothermia. They crawled into the culvert, putting the smaller ones inside with the larger ones on the ends. The father took off his sweatshirt, tore it in half and wrapped it around the feet of two of his kids to protect against frostbite. They stuffed the ends of the culvert with tree boughs. They stamped HELP in the snow. When they heard the helicopter, the father got out on the bridge and waved his arms at it.

Once they realized they were lost, they didn't keep going, just found some shelter.

A fire at one end of the culvert would have been nice for heat and signaling, with ventilation through the pine boughs at the other.

Personally, I'd say they did a pretty good job.

Sue

The family was interviewed on CNN last night, they all looked good after what they went through and gave a good account of their adventure.

"...far back do you need to go to find a Christmas tree?..."

Actually, at least in my experience, finding a decent looking Christmas tree in a whole forest of trees is not easy. "Real" trees are not groomed almost from birth like those in tree farms are. You have to look and look and look to find one that is presentable from all/most sides. I can see city folk wandering around and getting lost.

Nice looking CHP chopper they rode out in, huh???

Report from the search.

Lots of families were out there cutting trees, so the victims were not alone, at least in the general area.
They were probably as well prepared as most.

The lost folks needed more of the 10 essentials and should have dropped some bread crumbs. However once they realized they were lost they did it right.

What they did right

Gear-
Had heavy winter coats and wool hats
Saw

Actions-
found shelter
didn’t move around
signaled with branches in the snow which led searchers to them
conserved energy
found water
took care of each other
built moral by singing, telling jokes, praying


Deep snow on brush made for difficult going.
The folks were found 2.4 miles from the vehicle according to one
team members GPS.

Story from some of the team-
One of our teams was
paired with a snowshoe group from another county. There is a little bit of competition sometimes between teams.

Of course the ski team was able to ski to the appointed section to search
before the snowshoers could walk there. Suddenly while the snowshoers
were still traveling to the search area, a radio transmission from the snowshoers-”We have located some human feces, still warm, but no sign of tracks, the victims may be nearby!”

Well, the snow was crusty, and our team’s skis left little sign. You can figure it out from there.