A California couple who intended to go on a camping trip but ended up getting stranded by a snowstorm for two weeks were rescued along with their dogs Wednesday.
The couple, who are in their mid-30s, were in good condition and didn't need to be hospitalized after a helicopter retrieved them from Alamo Mountain, the Associated Press reported. The man, woman and their two dogs had been trapped in their truck for two weeks.
"They were tired, [sun] burned, dirty, but definitely glad to see me," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Charles Miranda. "Neither had any complaints other than, 'We're tired, we're hungry.'"
The couple were camping near Frazier Mountain State Park, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, when a winter storm came through. A tree near their camp fell over and blocked access to a nearby road, and the snow was so deep their truck was stuck, KTTV-TV reported.
The couple probably thought the snow was going to melt quicker than it did, Miranda said. They took refuge in the truck, running the engine intermittently for warmth, and used camping supplies to survive for the two weeks.
“They had fuel for the stove to melt the water, but then they ran out of fuel,” Miranda said. “They were thirsty because they weren’t able to get water out of the snow.”
By Wednesday the couple had run out of food. They hiked for about two and a half miles before they were able to get cellphone reception and called for help. Dispatchers were able to track their coordinates, but the couple had to return to their truck to get the dogs. A helicopter was dispatched to find them.
When the helicopter finally spotted the couple, they were jumping up and down, Miranda said. The helicopter couldn’t land in the area, so deputies were hoisted down to retrieve the couple and dogs.
The couple was dehydrated, sunburned, hungry and tired when they were rescued, but amazingly, they weren't injured. Miranda, who usually responds to cases involving major injuries, told The AP it was nice to take part in a more benign rescue.
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