Nevada County Search and Rescue carried out multiple rescues following blizzard

(FOX40.COM) — Two separate rescues in the Sierra Nevada earlier in the week resulted in the successful rescue of three people and two dogs, according to Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.

On Sunday, a Colfax man stranded in rural Nevada City with his girlfriend and small dog was able to reach emergency responders after hiking in the deep snow to find cell service.

The man said that they were diving in their 4X4 vehicle when the front differential broke, putting the vehicle on rear-wheel drive, causing them to get stuck.

The trio had been stuck in the truck for two days in the snowstorm with no food or water.

Despite the man’s call dropping several times, the Nevada County Dispatch Center could still locate his exact coordinates and placed him in the area of Lowell Road.

The sheriff’s office search and rescue team was sent out to respond to the stranded couple with a Sno-Cat and side by side.

A second Sno-Cat responded to the rescue call as a SAR member was in the area working on a nearby project and had just finished up.

At 12:06 p.m. the couple and their dog were successfully rescued.

On Tuesday, rescuers were alerted at 4:27 p.m. to a snowmobiler that had become stuck on a trail.

The 36-year-old Nevada man had entered the Johnson Canyon Trailhead, north of the Donner Lake Interchange.

Cell phone data from the man’s call showed that his battery was at 36% but he informed callers that he had a reserve battery in the event of an emergency. He also had packed a blanket and water.

A joint operation with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team Inc were able to locate the man just before 8 p.m.

The rescue team comprised of two teams of 26 searchers, ski teams, sled teams and Sno-Cats.