A snowmobiler who got lost and stuck in the Steamboat-area backcountry survived a night in freezing temperatures by building a snow cave.
The man, who recently moved to Steamboat from New Hampshire, was unfamiliar with the area and terrain when he started snowmobiling Saturday from Dumont Lake on Rabbit Ears Pass, Routt County Search and Rescue Incident Commander Kristia Check-Hill said. The man called his nephew about 2 p.m. to report he was stuck on Buffalo Mountain under the power lines.
Because the man did not call 911, rescuers were not able to “ping” the cellphone to get his location and rescuers were unable to find him Saturday night. Rescuers resumed the search at 6 a.m. Sunday and a deputy from Grand County informed more than 100 snowmobilers about the missing man. Shortly after 11 a.m., two snowmobilers located him and called 911.
