Four snowmobilers from Idaho Springs were rescued today after their snowmobiles bogged down in extremely deep snow a day earlier in a valley on the Jones Pass road, Major Rick Albers of the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Department said this afternoon.
“They were in the bottom of a valley, got stuck, built a fire and ate a little bit of food,” said Albers.
“They were a little cold, had no medical issues, just a little tired,” he added.
Rescuers found the four at an altitude of about 10,500 feet, just below tree line, after they had been stranded overnight.
Albers identified the four as Andrew Jeffreys, 35; Bill Hill, 41; Cody Morris, 16; and Chad Morris, 15.
Albers said he brought the group out. He said their snowmobiles remain stuck.
“I don’t know how they are going to get them out,” he said.
More than 30 people on 15 snowmobiles searched for the group.
Albers said the group started the fire by dipping twigs into their gas tanks, taking the spark plugs out and turning their machines’ engines over, which caused a spark and that lit the twigs.
“I thought that kind of ingenious,” said Albers.
Bill Barwick, spokesman for the Alpine Rescue Team, said his group was called out at about 10 p.m. Sunday after the two adults and two teenagers were reported missing.
The Jones Pass area is considered one of the most scenic near the Denver metro area. The Jones Pass Pass road starts near U.S. 40 next to the entrance gate for the Henderson Molybdenum Mine Complex near Berthoud Falls.
“It is a beautiful, beautiful area,” said Barwick.
Because of its beauty, a lot of people take their snowmobiles on to the Jones Pass trail, which is about 7 miles long and reaches altitudes of 10,000 to 12,500 feet, he said.
Five law-enforcement agencies were involved in the search, including teams from sheriff’s offices in Clear Creek, Summit and Grand counties. Also assisting were the Alpine Rescue Team and the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.
The weather was not good, with gusty winds, blowing snow and another snowstorm expected to come in this afternoon, he said.
Because of the winds, helicopters were not available to the searchers.
Albers said that the four snowmobilers had registered their snowmobiles with Colorado State Parks, which means that any search-and-rescue operations involving them are covered without a fee. He said the fee to register is 25 cents.
“They were very appreciative,” Albers said of the four rescued.
Albers noted that anyone who becomes lost in Clear Creek County is not charged the expense of a search-and-rescue operation.
He added that the Alpine Rescue Team, which the county utilizes to help in such searches, is an all-volunteer organization of people who enjoy helping those who become stranded.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
