UCSO Reports Hazardous Soft Snow-Use Caution

Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team has an important message.

The team reminds you to be extra cautious when driving in the mountains this time of year. Often, people are surprised and unprepared when they run into SNOW. The snow gets very soft during the day, making it difficult to navigate.

The SAR Team has been extra busy throughout the month of March.

There were 5 different missions of vehicles stuck in the snow. On March 12th, a woman was stuck in snow near the Indian Lake Campground just outside of Pilot Rock. Two others became stuck on March 18th near Frazier Campground. Then on March 21st, a man and woman were helped on Forest Service Road 53 outside of Ukiah. And, on March 27th, SAR Team members assisted a woman on Ross Road near Meacham. Another rescue mission began on Thursday, March 28th had a man and his vehicle trapped in snow on Suiste Lane near Ukiah.

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to be very careful when driving in rural areas. Soft snow is very difficult to navigate through. You’re encouraged to watch the videos below. The first is courtesy of Mountain Dan.

This next video is a snow rescue from March 27th, 2023.

UMASAR personnel responded to an individual who had become stranded in a roadless area after burying his tracked ATV on a hillside. UMASAR personnel responded to the individual’s reported location in the unit’s tracked UTV. Soft snow made progress challenging with the UTV becoming temporarily stuck at one point. Personnel continued following the individual’s ATV tracks and finally located him on a mountain top near a power line corridor. The individual had no survival equipment and was unable to walk in the deep snow. UMASAR personnel transported him back to his vehicle without incident.