Tag Archives: Snowbowl

Two Recent Winter Recreation Rescues on the San Francisco Peaks

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Arizona Snowbowl has conducted two search and rescue missions on the San Francisco Peaks in the last couple of days.

The first was a search for two lost hikers who had attempted to summit Humphrey’s Peak by using the Humphrey’s Trail on January 10th. The trail was mostly indistinguishable due to the snow cover. The adult male and adult female called 911 at approximately 4:45 PM from a location at approximately 10,750 feet. The two hikers were unable to navigate back to the trail head and were becoming cold and did not have equipment for night time hiking. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue personnel responded to the call and were assisted by the Arizona Snowbowl grooming snowcats so that they could be inserted near the wilderness boundary near the top of the Humphrey’s Chair Lift. The SAR personnel then hiked to the location of the hikers and provided them with warm clothes, food, and water before bringing them back to the top of the Humphrey’s Chair Lift where the snowcats transported them back to the Agassiz Lodge at 9:00 PM. Neither hiker requested any medical attention.

On January 11th at 12:45 PM Arizona Snowbowl Ski Patrol notified the Sheriff’s Office about two lost snowboarders who had left the ski area boundary and were in the area known as First Gully south of the ski area. The two snowboarders were separated by approximately half a mile. Ski Patrol, at the request of the Sheriff’s Office, left the ski area and skied down First Gully to locate one of the snowboarders. SAR personnel hiked in to the Viet Spring area to attempt to locate the second snowboarder. The second snowboarder eventually hiked out to the Viet Spring parking area where he was located by SAR personnel. Both snowboarders were reunited at the Viet Spring parking area and then reunited with friends at the Agassiz Lodge. Neither requested any medical attention.

In both missions the subjects were not adequately prepared for the winter backcountry. Winter trails that appear on maps may not be discernible in the field due to snow cover. Good backcountry navigation skills may be necessary including map reading, compass skills, and GPS skills. All backcountry travelers should be prepared with the “ten essentials” plus three winter backcountry essentials in addition to a cell phone. The “ten essentials” include water, food, extra warm clothing, navigation equipment, headlamp/flashlight, first aid kit, shelter material/space blanket, fire starting kit, pocket knife/mulit-tool, and whistle/signal mirror. The winter backcountry essentials are an avalanche shovel, avalanche probe, and avalanche beacon. A cell phone is a good item to carry but backcountry travelers should be aware that cellular service may not be available. Even if your cell phone does not indicate that it has signal, if you have an emergency you should still attempt to call 911. All backcountry travelers should leave a detailed trip plan with a trusted person who can contact emergency services in the event that the traveler does not check in or return by a specified time. When exploring the winter backcountry on the San Francisco Peaks the backcountry travelers should be aware of the potential for avalanche hazards. Additional education about avalanche hazards and avoidance is available from the Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center at www.kachinapeaks.org.

Fifty-Nine Year-Old Lost Hiker Rescued from Humphries Peak

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FLAGSTAFF — On April 21st at approximately 8:30 AM the Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue responded to a report of a lost hiker on Humphrey’s Peak. The 59 year old male hiker was determined to be off trail at approximately 11,700 foot elevation in an area known as Temptation Gully. The hiker was reported to be cold, tired, disoriented, with some underlying medical conditions.

Search and Rescue personnel hiked into the area and located the hiker at 12:43 AM. After assessing his condition it was determined that the safest route was to hike to the Humphrey’s Saddle and then evaluate the options for evacuation. A second search team hiked to the Humphreys Saddle and prepared to receive the hiker and provide warm drinks, food, and dry clothing.

Due to the hikers fatigue and symptoms of acute mountain sickness an Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Air Rescue helicopter from Phoenix was requested to evaluate landing at the saddle to pick up the hiker. DPS Air Rescue arrived in the area of the saddle at 3:30 AM and attempted to land but was unable to due to high winds. The decision was made to camp just off the saddle and out of the wind until daylight allowing the hiker time to rest and regain normal body temperature. The daylight would also offer increased visibility. At 4:15 AM a third search team equipped with a litter and ropes began hiking to the saddle and was prepared to assist the hiker if he became unable to hike out on his own due his symptoms of acute mountain sickness and fatigue.

At approximately 6:00 AM the hiker and the search teams began to hike down the Humphreys Trail. An Arizona Snowbowl Snowcat was dispatched to an area near the ski area boundary at the base of the Pluto ski run. The Search and Rescue Teams assisted the hiker to that location where he was loaded into the snowcat and transported to the Agassiz Lodge to be reunited with a family member. The Search and Rescue personnel hiked down the mountain and completed the mission by 11:30 A.M.

This incident was another example of the close working relationship between the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, DPS Air Rescue, and the Arizona Snowbowl to resolve an emergency. Even in the spring, winter like conditions can still exist on the San Francisco Peaks. Hikers on the peaks trails should research the conditions and be prepared to turn around if the conditions become hazardous or the trail becomes difficult to navigate. Hikers should also be personally and physically prepared for the hike including carrying the appropriate equipment and clothing and leaving a detailed trip plan with a trusted person.

Snowbowl at capacity

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sf-peaksFLAGSTAFF — If you were planning a trip to Snowbowl, today is not your day. Reports are that a capacity crowd beat you to it.

Currently there are reports of trying to turn back a 14-mile line of cars leading up to Snowbowl which is at capacity.

File photo of Oak HIll Snow Play area west of Parks.

File photo of Oak Hill Snow Play area west of Parks.

The sun is out in Williams and there are still some snow play areas close by. The Oak Hill Snow Play Area between Williams and Parks on Route 66, for example. Benham Trail and Dogtown Road along Perkinsville Road south of Williams has some areas great for sledding. The Williams Snow Play area one mile south of Williams should have some great snow.

It might also be a great time to visit Bearizona or the Grand Canyon Deer Farm east of Williams.

The latest weather check shows a weak front coming in which could leave another 1-inch of snow tonight through Sunday night. It should clear up Monday through Wednesday.

Final paving to resume on US 180 from Flagstaff to Snow Bowl June 1

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sf-peaksFLAGSTAFF — After a winter hiatus, the Arizona Department of Transportation is returning next week to apply the top layer of asphalt along a five-mile segment of US 180 from Schultz Pass to Bader roads (mileposts 214-219).

The work is part of a pavement preservation project that started in summer 2014, but work had to be temporarily suspended until warmer temperatures allowed for the final paving.

The work will occur daily, Monday, June 1 through Saturday, June 6, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Additional work may be necessary throughout the month and additional traffic alerts will be issued in advance of those operations.

During paving operations, the two-lane roadway will be reduced to one lane. Pilot cars will allow for alternating travel and delays can be expected in both directions.

Motorists interested in traveling to the Grand Canyon National Park can use Interstate 40 to State Route 64 in Williams west of Flagstaff as an alternate route.

Multi-Agency Response to Backcountry Fatality on San Francisco Peaks

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sf-peaksFLAGSTAFF — On Saturday, March 14th, at approximately 12:50 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Coordinator was notified by the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Patrol of a fatality in the backcountry near Doyle Saddle at approximately 11,400 feet elevation.

The victim, identified as Dan Huebner a 53 year old Flagstaff resident, had been on a backcountry ski tour with a friend. At approximately 10:45 AM Huebner collapsed below Agassiz Peak and just west of Doyle Saddle. Huebner’s skiing partner performed CPR for approximately 45 minutes with no change in Huebner’s condition. At that time he skied to the Arizona Snowbowl and reported the incident to Ski Patrol personnel.

The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, Sheriff’s detectives, the United States Forest Service, and Arizona Snowbowl coordinated a response to the scene and the recovery of Huebner.

It was determined that the best course of action would be to ski and snowshoe to the victim’s location, conduct the investigation and prepare Huebner for extraction via a long line with the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter. Ski Patrol, Search and Rescue, and a detective arrived at the scene at approximately 4:30 PM.

The DPS Air Rescue helicopter from Kingman responded to the Fort Valley Lodge and prepared for long line extrication. Huebner’s body was flown from the scene to the Lodge at approximately 5:45 PM where custody was transferred to the Coconino County Office of the Medical Examiner.

Huebner and his ski partner were very experienced and well prepared for the activity that they were engaged in. Backcountry winter travel has some unique hazards including the possibility of avalanche. Huebner and his partner were carrying the “Ten Essentials” and were additionally equipped with avalanche beacons, probes, and shovels. Both men had experience and training in the winter backcountry environment and are well respected in the backcountry skiing community.

Sheriff’s detectives and the medical examiner are continuing this investigation. At this point there are no signs of foul play and there is a possibility that the victim died as the result of a preexisting medical condition.

Single Vehicle Roll-Over on Snowbowl Road Resulting in Serious Injury

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DSCN2003FLAGSTAFF – A single-vehicle accident occurred on Wednesday resulting in a serious injury on Snowbowl road.

At approximately 4:58 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a traffic collision on Snowbowl Road in the area of mile post 3.4. Upon arrival Deputies found a Freightliner flatbed utility truck rolled over.

The investigation of Deputies revealed that the truck was owned by Allison Transmission from Indiana, and was being driven to test transmissions installed in commercial vehicles. Both occupants of the vehicle were also from Indiana. One occupant was trapped in the cab and required extrication by Summit Fire District responders.

The 23 year old driver and the 21 year old passenger were transported to Flagstaff Medical Center by Guardian Medical Transport. Forest Service and Arizona Department of Public Safety also assisted in the response to this incident.

The passenger sustained non-life threatening injuries and the driver is in critical condition. No cargo was being carried by the truck. Investigation of the roll-over event is ongoing with the assistance of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.