6 missing snowmobilers dined on popcorn, chicken bouillon
Associated Press
Originally published 12:30 a.m., January 7, 2008
Updated 03:28 p.m., January 7, 2008
Special To The Rocky
Three members of the Groen family, including Jason Groen, 36; his wife, Shannon, 31; and daughter, Aspen, 14, were located this morning.
Photo by Rocky Mountain News
Snowmobilers found in cabin.
CONEJOS — Six snowmobilers missing in the mountains for 2 1/2 days while a howling blizzard swirled around them were rescued today — hungry and cold but unhurt — after taking shelter in a cozy cabin and calling 911 on a cell phone when the storm eased up.
The group, consisting of two couples and two teenagers, broke into the cabin, where they huddled around a gas grill and dined on popcorn and chicken bouillon they found inside.
"We counted 18 blankets. We were cozy," 31-year-old Shannon Groen said after rescue crews on snowmobiles brought the group to safety. "God was looking out for us. When we knew we were safe we began to worry about the rescuers and we prayed for them."
Groen and the others were trapped by one in a series of storms that killed at least three people across the West, unloaded as much as 11 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada range, flooded hundreds of homes in Nevada and knocked out power to a quarter-million Californians.
At least three people — two skiers and a hiker — were missing in the snow-covered mountains of California and Colorado.
Groen and her husband, Jason, had gone snowmobiling with their daughter Aspen to celebrate her 14th birthday. Also along were one of Jason Groen's employees, Mike Martin; Martin's wife, Missy; and their son, Jessie, 13. All are from Farmington, N.M.
The group had set out on what was supposed to be a daylong adventure but got lost and ran out of gas on Friday night near 10,222-foot Cumbres Pass, just north of the New Mexico line.
They sought shelter in a cabin near the isolated and snowbound Osier Station, a small wooden building that serves as a summertime stop on a railroad line for sightseers.
Jason Groen, the 36-year-old owner of a car wash, said his cell phone didn't work in the cabin, and bad weather kept him from leaving to find a place where he could get a signal until Monday morning. Meanwhile, rescuers were hampered by the threat of avalanches, high winds and snow that at some points was coming down 8 inches an hour.
When the storm finally broke, Groen hiked up to a point with cell phone reception and alerted rescuers to their location.
Aspen said she had a fine birthday: "It was fun, but wasn't something I would want to do again." "I never had a prayer that they would all get off the mountain alive," said Groen's mother, Beverly Downey. "By the grace of God and our friends the media, I hope and pray that no one else ever has to go through this again."
About 40 miles northwest of Conejos, searchers took advantage of a break in the weather to resume looking for two skiers missing since Saturday near Colorado's Wolf Creek Pass. The search was slowed by the threat of avalanches.
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January 7, 2008
7:47 a.m.
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vudumom writes:
Don't these people own a TV or any way to get a weather report?Heavy snow was forecast for that area days in advance and snow was predicted to be maybe up to 4 ft. in some of the southern areas.
Why in the world would anybody go snowmobiling in those kinds of conditions?Everyday it seems like we have people putting their lives at risk to play in the snow.We see it with back country skiers going for the thrill and starting avalanches when the avalanche warnings are high. We see it in the summer when people can't stay on a trail and get lost in the woods. We see the inexperienced rock climbers who fall and die or put others in danger trying to save them .
When are these thrill seekers going to be held accountable for their idiotic behavior?
If a weather report said the mountain area where you wanted to go snowmoniling with your family was part of a major snow storm warning,would you take your family out snowmobiling in that area?
January 7, 2008
8:18 a.m.
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ripcord writes:
vudumom, not only would I not take my family into those conditions, I would not go with friends under those conditions. I hope they are alive and found safe, but also that they should pay for their rescue.
January 7, 2008
8:36 a.m.
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serena writes:
The Groens are very dear friends of mine. Belive me, neither one of those families would put their lives at risk to play in the snow. by the way they were found and they are ok.
January 7, 2008
9:12 a.m.
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Darwin writes:
Not only do they put their lives at risk, but also the lives of rescuers at risk. Serena, but they did put their lives at risk to play in the snow. Glad it turned out well.
January 7, 2008
9:21 a.m.
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ripcord writes:
serena, but your very dear friends DID put their lives at risk to play in the snow. They also put their rescuers at risk in order to play in the snow presumably without checking the weather. Your very dear friends are not very smart.
January 7, 2008
12:08 p.m.
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jay writes:
This kind of incompetence is a great reason why there needs to be a state run board put into place to evaluate these kinds of instances and determine....like in this case....that these people should have to pay for their rescue.
January 7, 2008
12:52 p.m.
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gmingle writes:
I do not think people should automatically be required to pay for their rescue, but they should be able to be sued by the agencies that performed the rescue, and if the party is found negligent, then they should be able to recover damages. In this case the negligence would be if they went anyway, knowing already of the danger.
January 7, 2008
2:22 p.m.
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dirkle writes:
I agree, they sould be fined or sued. Even an idiot like myself would check the weather thoroughly before snowmobiling in the mountains with my children. This is negligent behavior.
What morons.
I agree with the above:
"they should be able to be sued by the agencies that performed the rescue, and if the party is found negligent, then they should be able to recover damages"
January 7, 2008
4:29 p.m.
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marge writes:
I will hope they have paid for their hiker's insurance card, or had a Colorado hunting or fishing license, so the costs of S&R are covered. I don't believe in billing or sueing people for the cost of rescue. This can only cause people not to ask for help until it is too late, or to take greater risks to avoid calling in a problem.
depending on when they started out, even with dire predicitons the weather looked good. it is easy to misjudge, and even easier to monday morning guess what people should or shouldn't do.
January 7, 2008
4:36 p.m.
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davehughes writes:
Oh all you 'risk averse' bloggers slay me. Stay at home in Denver and let those who love the outdoors take their risks. So 'rescurers' might have gotten into trouble. But the reality is they didn't.
Yeah all we need is a bunch more people afraid to do anything in case 'something' might happen, for fear of punishment by big daddy government.
Bah Humbug.
January 7, 2008
4:39 p.m.
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vondarabuck writes:
I am appalled at the lack of compassion people have. People in a free Democracy who pay their taxes have a right to play in the outdoors and drive around and go about their daily lives and they have a right (becuase they pay their taxes) to depend upon the agencies that are put in place to protect the public. Would you expect to have to pay for the rescue that had to be performed as a result of a motor vehicle accident you caused? Would you expect to have to pay for the fire truck that comes to your house and puts out the fire you started accidentally? Before you judge other people, perhaps you should think about what it might feel like to be in need of a rescue from a tax-paid agency and to have others call you a moron for needing that assistance. Just for the record, it was a volunteer who found our family members, not the agency paid for by your tax dollars and the Groens & Martins tax dollars. Thank God for volunteers who are willing to give of their time and resources to help others in need. It will come back to them. They are angels from heaven. What can we say about those who sit around on their computer and think about disparaging remarks they can make about other people who have been through a horrible ordeal?
January 7, 2008
4:43 p.m.
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T1anda writes:
Hey it's snowing buckets with poor visibility in Steamboat right now....I'm getting my family and we are going snowmobiling in the dark. Oh what fun!!! Weather reports?? What weather reports?
January 7, 2008
5:03 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
marge, davehughes, vondarabuck, ARE YOU SERIOUS? What, are you all like 13? Do you mean to say that each of you would have done the same thing with your family with the weather reports in abundance? If you say yes, you are morons. I believe we should not be afraid to go out into the wilderness, but why should taxpayers foot the bill for stupidity? These people did not know what they were doing, period!
January 7, 2008
5:05 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
T1andra, can I go with you and take all my loved ones? I think we will have a great time waiting for the brave to come and pick us up after we get lost and cold. Can we take marge, davehughes and vondarabuck and their families with us? Oh what fun!
January 7, 2008
5:15 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
vondarabuck, if you ever need help in the wilderness (because of your stupidity, not because you had an 'accident') I guess it is alright to only mobilize volunteers. There is no need to spend tax dollars on you, right? An accidental fire or auto accident, is so far removed from being stupid in the wilderness, that I am surprised you commented.
January 7, 2008
5:19 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
Yes, I am worked up! I lectured my adult daughter for going hiking in the mountains alone. She is now better educated. But how many more people do we have to rescue that go into the mountains alone or unprepared or in adverse conditions before people wake up? Fine them severely. Make them pay for rescues. Hopefully it will keep the morons out of dangers way.
January 7, 2008
5:26 p.m.
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me2 writes:
They didn`t need weather reports or help. They said God was looking out for them!
January 7, 2008
6:19 p.m.
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vondarabuck writes:
ripcord, you are so uninformed about the particulars of this incident, you really need to just stay quiet unless you are willing to listen to the full story. This family did NOT go on that mountain into a full-blown snow storm in the dark! You do not know this man, you do not know how long he has been snow-mobiling, you do not know the level of his expertise and education on survival skills in the wilderness. Trust me, if you knew all of this about him, you would not be running off at the mouth about him. All of the snow-mobilers in his club have the utmost respect for him as an outdoorsman. They would trust anything he has to say about the sport unconditionally. They know him well and they know how skilled he is. He took his family onto that mountain for an AFTERNOON snow-mobiling venture. The snow storm was not scheduled to hit for another day. They got into an area where wind picked up and visibility was poor so he made an EDUCATED decision to protect his family and friends and hold up in a safe shelter until it was safe to proceed to their vehicle. If he had been able to contact the authorities, he would have gladly told them not to bother coming to get him because he had everything under control, being the experienced sportsman that he is. He is a good man who would do anything for anyone in need and he has so many friends that he DOES NOT NEED THE APPROVAL OF SOME IDIOT WHO RUNS OFF AT THE MOUTH ABOUT MATTERS HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT!
January 7, 2008
6:41 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
vondarabuck,
"Trust me, if you knew all of this about him, you would not be running off at the mouth about him. All of the snow-mobilers in his club have the utmost respect for him as an outdoorsman. They would trust anything he has to say about the sport unconditionally. They know him well and they know how skilled he is. He took his family onto that mountain for an AFTERNOON snow-mobiling venture."
Actually, I would never trust you since you are so caught up in the emotion about what kind of guy this is, you cannot see to the root cause. You are very misinformed about the information of the storm. Maybe you should get your facts straight before you run off at the mouth. Now it is even more apparent that you and he thought he could do anything he wanted to because he was a "club" know it all. His EDUCATED decision was unfounded. It was an UNEDUCATED decision because, apparently, by your so INFORMED and EDUCATED decison he knew what he was doing. You are running off at the mouth about matters you seem to neglect. The storm was scheduled for FRIDAY not Saturday. I do not need the approval of some idiot who runs off at the mouth about matters she knows very little about or fails to acknowledge.
January 7, 2008
8:16 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
One other thing. It was reported by the AP that they "got lost and ran out of gas on Friday night near 10,222-foot Cumbres Pass, just north of the New Mexico line." Again, that area was under a storm warning for Friday. Also, how much experience does it take to stay on marked trails and only use half of your gas in one direction? Oh, I forgot I "do not know the level of his expertise and education." My mistake. It appears the less experienced did not get lost or run out of gas in that area. Or maybe yet, they listened to the weather reports and STAYED HOME! Do you think the special occasion of a birthday celebration might have clouded his decision? On no, he is too experienced for that. Give us all a break. He made a very bad decision.
January 7, 2008
10:32 p.m.
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jay writes:
I never imagined that we'd see so many apologists for the type of incompetence displayed by these families.
January 8, 2008
8:23 a.m.
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ripcord writes:
Well, well. I see the "not so smart" snowmobilers made the Today Show. How wonderful! Now millions know of their poor judgment.
January 8, 2008
3:35 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
marge, davehughes, vondarabuck, serena, where are you? No comebacks? Reason prevails? Ok, thanks for playing.
January 8, 2008
4:01 p.m.
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interestedreader writes:
My mother taught me not to judge others so harshly. Are you all so perfect? I'm thankful they are alive and well and very happy for their families. Have you tried to put yourself in their families' shoes? Don't respond to egg me on, this is all I have to say.
January 8, 2008
4:17 p.m.
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ripcord writes:
interestedreader, and not much at that.
January 9, 2008
1:43 p.m.
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CrestwoodTexan writes:
Wow! I thought all the "uninformed weather" people were here on the Texas coast with me. They LOVE to go surfing as the hurricane is hitting land. I wonder why they drown?