Three people, including a 9-year-old child, were rescued Saturday night after getting stuck in the snow in the Ochoco mountains, the Crook County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said Monday.
Crook County 911 received a call from the group around 7:00 p.m. Saturday, CCSO said. Because of spotty cell coverage, the people were able to call out, but were not able to receive calls.
However, that call out was enough for dispatchers to get possible coordinates. CCSO said they were about 32 miles east of Prinevlle on FS 22 road past the Walton Lake Snow Park.
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Nine Crook County Search and Rescue volunteers, with four vehicles, a snowmobile and a tracked Ranger, responded.
The group was located and transported to a staging area before being brought to Prineville. CCSO did not say if any of them needed medical attenti0n.
CCSO said one of the search and rescue vehicles got stuck in the slush and snow and had to be pulled out.
Crook County has reported about two dozen such rescues between late fall 2022 and now. CCSO is reminding people who want to travel in the mountains to take plenty of provisions, just in case, and to let people know where they are going.
