Overdue Ice Climbers

Two 28 year old climbers intended to climb Elephant Head’s Gully and be home by 12:30. When they had not returned by 1:30 the subjects family called Vermont State Police. State Police remained with the climber’s car and Stowe Mountain Rescue was deployed two snowmobiles.

One team was directed to Elephant’s Head to attempt voice contact and one to sweep the road. As the snowmobiles were about to start up the notch Road, the climbers returned to their car in Cambridge.

Team Members Responding
Reinhardt, Ruschp, Speer, Van Dyke, Veliko, Westervelt

Other Agencies Responding
Vermont State Police

Time of Call
15:00 – 16:30

Weather Conditions
Light snow

Missing Man at Waterbury Reservoir

Vermont State Police Search & Rescue requested assistance with a search for a missing Bolton man in Little River State Park. The man had been missing for several days when his car was found in the State Park’s snowmobile parking lot. Stowe Mountain Rescue searched two different areas.

Search teams were unsuccessful in locating the subject. Belongings of the subject were located on a snowmobile bridge near his vehicle. Search activities were suspended at dusk.

Team Members Responding
Palmer, Reinhardt, Van Dyke, Veliko, Wehse, Westervelt

Other Agencies Responding
Vermont State Police, Waterbury Backcountry Rescue, Camel’s Hump Backcountry Resue

Time of Call
12:00 – 17:30

Weather Conditions
Light snow

Injured Snowboarder in Smuggler’s Notch

A snowboarder skiing off-trail in “Angel Food” hit a tree and suffered a lower left leg injury. Stowe Mountain Rescue assisted Ski Patrol in stabilizing the patient and lowering him in a ski patrol toboggan down two rope lengths to Route 108.

He was transported by snowmobile to the ambulance for transport to the hospital.

Team Members Responding
Burke, Raybould, Ruschp, Van Dyke

Other Agencies Responding
Mt Mansfield Ski Patrol

Time of Call
11:15 – 13:30

Weather Conditions
Sunny and cold

Missing Hunter in Adirondacks

A 58 year old man in reasonable health was missing from his hunting camp in the Adirondacks since November 19. It had been sunny and warm with no snow on the ground on the day he went missing. Sunday through Monday the weather turned cold, windy and snowed about 12 inches. His tractor was found running, with his cell phone and jacket in the cab. The search was being conducted under the assumption he left the tractor tracking a deer. New York DEC Forest Rangers requested assistance searching for the subject.

Stowe Mountain Rescue executed a detailed evidence search around his tractor. The team cleared snow down to ground level looking for any evidence (rifle shells, cigarette bus, etc.) and used a metal detector. The search was unsuccessful and did not locate any evidence or clues.

NYS DEC Forest Rangers are continued the search and found the man deceased several days later.

Team Members Responding
Burke, Eykelhoff, Miller, Palmer, Reinhardt, Rogers, Ruschp, Speer, Veliko, Wehse

Other Agencies Responding
Dozens of regional agencies responding

Time of Call
05:00 – 07:30

Weather Conditions
Sunny and cold

Missing Teen in Stowe

After police broke up a party at a house in Stowe, an allegedly intoxicated young man ran into the woods with no shoes or jacket. The primary concern was that he could unresponsive due to hypothermia.

Stowe Mountain Rescue was tasked with grid searching a section of woods in which the subject was last seen traveling. He was eventually located on a road, headed back to the Raven Hill Road residence. He was cold, but generally in good condition. Stowe Rescue examined and released the subject.

Team Members Responding
Govoni, Palmer, Reinhardt, Rogers, Veliko, Van Dyke, Weisse

Other Agencies Responding
Vermont State Police, Stowe Police, Stowe Fire, Stowe Rescue

Time of Call
23:45 – 04:00

Weather Conditions
Snowing and cold

Injured Hiker on Bolton Mountain

Richmond Rescue requested assistance with a litter evacuation from the Long Trail a mile and a half south of Bolton Mountain summit. Teams were able to drive ATVs to Bryant Camp, then hiked up Birch Loop and Raven’s Wind to access the Long Trail.

The hiker had an ankle injury and was unable to bear weight. Her injury was immobilized, and she was treated for minor hypothermia. She was packaged in a stokes litter w/a wheel and evacuated south on the Long Trail to the Eagles Nest trail and back down to the Bolton Valley Resort. She was then transported to the Medical Center by Richmond Rescue.

Team Members Responding
Burke, Miller, Speer, Westervelt

Other Agencies Responding
Bolton Fire Department, Richmond Rescue, Waterbury Backcountry Rescue, Colchester Technical Rescue, Camel’s Hump Backcountry Rescue, Vermont State Police, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Time of Call
17:15 – 03:30

Weather Conditions
Partly cloudy

Lost Hiker in the Notch

A 18 year old male, left the main parking lot at the top of Smuggler’s Notch for a hike in the gullies above the stone hut and visitor’s center. At 7:15 PM, he called 911 to say he was lost and stuck on the cliffs, and had no light and his phone battery was low. Vermont State Police was called and requested assistance due to the technical nature of the terrain. His coordinates placed him near the unmaintained Bear Pond Trail.

Two teams from SMR were field deployed for the search. Team 1 was tasked with climbing Easy Gully to it’s top and accessing it’s northern ridge and the area of the old Bear Pond trail thru the “cave”. This is technical terrain requiring climbing gear. Team 2 was tasked with locating the old Bear Pond trail from Easy Gully and searching that area.

Team 2 located the subject at 3100′ in the area of the old Bear Pond trail. The subject was evacuated by the route team 2 ascended, requiring 3 lowers / rappels. Team 1 reversed their route, requiring 3 rappels to complete the decent.

Team Members Responding
Eykelhoff, McLean, Miller, Reinhardt, VanDyke, Veliko, Wehse, Westervelt

Other Agencies Responding
Vermont State Police

Time of Call
20:00 – 02:30

Weather Conditions
Rainy and warm