2 Rescued By Snowmobiles After Snow Bikes Become Buried In Snow On Steep Slope In Oregon

Two people were rescued after their snow bikes became stuck in deep snow on a steep slope in Oregon Monday evening, officials said.

Union County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue said they received a report Monday evening that two snow bike operators became stuck in deep snow west of Wolf Creek Reservoir in Union County. The individuals were unable to recover their bikes, and were trapped on a “steep timbered slope.”

The trapped bikers luckily had cell service and a GPS phone app, so they were able to give rescuers their precise location.

Two snowmobile teams were deployed along with a tracked UTV and a snowshoe team, due to “uncertainty on mechanized access” to the area due to steep terrain, deep snow and darkness.

The tracked UTV had limited mobility in the area, but the snowmobiles were “fortunately” able to reach the bikers and transport them down a drainage to the UTV, which transported them to a plowed road.

No injuries were reported.

“We are grateful that the stranded party had and knew how to use the mapping app on their phones, had a satellite communicator as a backup, practiced good battery conservation, and did not wait to call until the situation had become more critical due to the cold temperatures,” Union County SAR said. “Preparedness is key to survival, and sometimes even a short outing can turn into an extended event.”