On Sunday 03/03/19, at about 8 PM, Lockwood Valley Deputies responded to the area of Alamo Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) reference five subjects who were reportedly stuck in the snow in a Jeep on forest road 8N01.3.
The stranded party of five luckily had cellular telephone service which enabled them to communicate with the deputies and determine their location through GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates showed the group was on 8N01.3 above Gold Hill Road at an elevation of about 7,000’. The group admitted they illegally entered the forest by circumventing two separate locked United States Forest Service (USFS) gates and had two Jeep’s stuck in about three feet of snow.
Based on several rescues in the Alamo Mountain area this winter and the report that the subjects were stuck in three feet of snow, the Fillmore Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was activated.
The Fillmore SAR team is comprised of a highly skilled and dedicated group of volunteers whose motto is “So that others may live.” The SAR team responded to Alamo Mountain with a Sno-Cat capable of safely and quickly driving over deep snow and steep terrain.
The Lockwood Deputies continued their response toward the stranded party. The deputies drove their 4×4 vehicles as far up the mountain as they could before the snow became too deep and the pitch of the hill too steep. At this point, the deputies were within one mile of the party and
opted to hike to the group. At about 11:40 PM, the deputies located the group who were sheltered together in one of the Jeeps. The deputies led the group down the road and to the awaiting Sheriff’s vehicles. The group was reunited with family in Gorman.
Due to the group’s willful entry into a closed portion of the LPNF, their information was sent to USFS Law Enforcement who will investigate their actions which may result in legal consequences.
There are numerous off highway vehicle (OHV) trails on the LPNF which are open year round. The LPNF uses steel gates to close specific trails such as those leading to Alamo Mountain due to the safety hazards associated with the difficult terrain. Information pertaining to OHV trails and recreating in the national forest can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lpnf/alerts- notices/?cid=stelprdb5307967
Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE
