Grand County Crews Rescue Oregon Couple, Dog Stuck In Snow For 24 Hours
Mar 28, 2021, 1:38 PM | Updated: 1:40 pm
Photo: Grand County Sheriff's Search and Rescue
CASTLE VALLEY, Utah – Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue on Friday were able to locate an Oregon couple and their dog who were stranded in deep snow for nearly 24 hours.
According to GCSAR, the couple was following directions on Google Maps when they drove their late-model SUV up an OHV road that is not maintained or plowed during the winter.
The Castleton-Gateway OHV road is a 57-mile stretch of unpaved trail that connects Moab to Gateway, Colorado.
Once the couple realized the snow was too deep to drive in, they attempted to turn around but were unable to.
The couple was able to contact a tow truck, but the truck also got stuck while trying to reach them. A second tow truck was dispatched to help free the first truck before then working to retrieve the couple’s SUV.
Search and rescue crews also responded using two snowmobiles as well as a Polaris Ranger to pick up the couple and their dog. The stranded drivers were located approximately 5 miles from the Colorado Border.
“People getting stuck and stranded on the Castleton-Gateway road has become a chronic problem in the past few years,” according to GCSAR. “Drivers who are unaware of conditions on the unmaintained road and who are unprepared to spend a night in winter conditions are often directed to this road by navigation apps, which indicate it is the route from the Unaweep Canyon area of Colorado to Moab. Even well-outfitted 4X4 vehicles have become stuck in the deep snowdrifts along the road.”
Search and rescue authorities suggested travelers check local road conditions before venturing off main roads. Drivers should also carry survival gear that includes warm clothing, food and water.
“A shovel and tire chains may come in handy,” according to CGSAR.
Officials also noted that satellite messaging devices that work in areas with no cell phone service have saved lives.
