Search and Rescue

[CRDalmata]

I was one of the skiers that was lost out there that evening. We entered off of the top of what I now know is Chatemac. We initially went into the woods at the very top of the run and saw a sign that said "Ski area boundary" so we turned back onto the main run and skied down a couple hundred yards until we saw a well warn trail heading into the woods. We followed that trail in and made a couple of turns and dropped a couple of small cliffs and found ourselves in a drainage where there were a couple of tracks. At no point did we see any tree line or signs marking a ski area boundary. There were some tracks that continued down the drainage and we started to follow them but really didn't feel like we were heading in the right direction, so we attempted to climb back up the side of the drainage. The snow was deep to the point that it was impossible to move if you were not in your skis, but the brush was so think and the drainage so steep that it was almost impossible to side step up the ridge. At this point we decided that we would follow the drainage down because there were already some tracks continuing down the drainage so we assumed that someone else had been down through there and we just might have a long walk to get out. We had no idea that we were in a second drainage that was running directly away from the mountain and heading into the heart of the woods. We continued to follow the tracks that were already laid in the drainage and eventually came upon another lost skier who had telephoned his father and ski patrol and told them that he was lost. At this point we decided to make a fire and just stay where we were as the sun was beginning to set and we had no idea if we would be found that night.

I can again say with 100% honesty that there was never any intention on our part to leave the ski area, and I am completely and utterly grateful for the efforts of the New York State Forrest Rangers in finding us that evening.

I understand that to the majority of the people that are going to read about this we are just some idiots who put themselves in harms way, but I can honestly say that I have spent a lot of time in the woods and a lot of time backcountry skiing. I fully appreciate the dangers that exist when I put myself into those situations, but on Sunday we thought we were skiing an in bounds gladed area, and by the time we realized we weren't we couldn't get back.

[St. Jerry]

Sounds like lawsuit material!

[fujative.]

Sounds like lawsuit material!

You must really hate skiing trees....

[Spongeworthy]

Sounds like lawsuit material!

WTF? Are you kidding?

If there's a lawsuit, I wanna be in that courtroom to see Gore's lawyers rip them a new a-hole.

[Snowballs]

What the heck, CRD! Hope it doesn't take another emergency to get you to your 2nd ever post.

Where you been? You lost out there?

Very glad you are safe and sound!

[Spongeworthy]

I heard that the Jeff who did the rescue of the two kids with Tara was Jeff Palka who owns The Source.

Stop by his store and show some appreciation.

[Harvey44]

Jeff Palka and Tara were involved in the second half of the rescue - the part that took half the night.

It sounds from the description above. CRDalmata was in the first group, who were out of the woods much earlier.

Still ... it's always good to show the love especially at the Gear Source. We need a store like that in town.

And as Sponge said, ANYONE who was involved should, IMO. make an effort to follow up with Patrol and Steve Ovitt and the rangers. I KNOW they'd appreciate it.

FYO on Saturday I ran into a group of Patrol, meeting at the edge of Chatiemac. They told me that this was the point at which one of the groups exited the trail. Most of us probably know the spot a few yards above highline. For me, it's hard to imagine dropping in there.

[adkskier]

Now that one of those rescued has shown up in this discussion...all of those rescued should get together and contribute to throw a very generous appreciation party for the patrol and rangers. If this had occurred on US Forest land (as at western ski resorts), those rescued would have been ticketed and billed for the rescue. In NYS, they get away cheap and prosecution is uncommon.