Lewis and Clark County Search and Rescue Finds Family Stranded Near Lincoln in Snowstorm

Two women from Idaho, ages 50 and 82, were located safe by Lewis and Clark County Search and Rescue late Friday after a severe snowstorm left them stranded in the Granite Peak area southeast of Lincoln, with the situation compounded when their family's rescue attempt cost them two snowmobiles and a vehicle.

The Lewis and Clark Dispatch center received a call around 9:15 p.m. Friday, March 13, from family members reporting the women were stranded near Granite Peak, a remote area southeast of Lincoln and northwest of Helena. The two women had left Lincoln earlier in the week to walk to Granite Peak, beginning their hike on Tuesday without knowing a severe storm was approaching.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton described the core problem as a lack of weather awareness. "They did not anticipate or have connections to the weather service to know that a severe storm was on its way. They started their hike on Tuesday. Due to the weather, they wanted to get out, but could not," Dutton told MTN.

The women were not entirely without resources. They carried some supplies and cell phones with partial coverage, but had to power the phones down periodically to conserve battery life, limiting their ability to communicate.

While waiting for rescue, family members launched their own effort to reach the two women. That attempt went badly: the family lost two snowmobiles and one vehicle in the snow before Search and Rescue crews reached the scene.

Dutton confirmed the outcome late Friday. "Our Search and Rescue has responded and located the 50 and 82-year-old females," he said. "They are safe and on their way out. The other family members are also taken care of and they will make plans to get their snowmobiles and vehicle at a later time."

No injuries were reported among any of the parties involved. The stranded equipment will be retrieved at a later date, according to Dutton. The exact time SAR located the women, the size of the responding team, and whether any additional agencies assisted were not immediately available.