Search and Rescue helps stranded couple
A couple traveling from Sacramento to Fort Bragg were led astray by GPS and became stranded on a remote, unpaved forest road in the Mendocino National Forest on Saturday, prompting a Glenn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team to respond and help them out.
According to a press release, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call at approximately 6:15 p.m. Saturday from a man who reported he and his wife were stranded in snow on Forest Highway 7 above Masterson Campground in the Mendocino National Forest. He said they had been stuck in their sedan for several hours with no heater, food or water.
A team with the Glenn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue responded to the call and located the couple approximately 30 minutes from the end of a paved road in a foot-and-a-half of snow on a portion of Forest Highway 7 that isn’t maintained.
The team escorted the couple back to safety and gave them directions to Fort Bragg, their final destination. The couple had been led to the remote road by their GPS.
The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office said travel between Glenn and Mendocino counties via Forest
Highway 7 is not recommended because the road is not maintained, plus the road and other roads in the Mendocino National Forest become unpassable during snow and rain storms.
Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office said this area will be “greatly impacted” by inclement weather this year, in particular, from the burn scar caused by the August Complex.
“This area will be subject to soil erosion, debris flows, slides, and downed trees,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the release. “Changes in road and terrain conditions can happen rapidly during rain and snow storms. This area may be subject to flash flooding that will result in the issuance of emergency alerts and possible road closures. It is advised to avoid travel in the burn area during storms.”
Saturday’s rescue was the second publicized response in the Mendocino National Forest during the last week, as a team rescued three people who were stranded near the Wells Campground on the night of Jan. 19.
As a reminder, the Sheriff’s Office advised people to drive safely, notify friends and family of your planned route and when you expect to return, as well as pack an emergency bag as a precaution in case you become stranded, and dress appropriately for weather conditions.