An unexpected storm trapped a Live Oak High School graduate, his
friend and their dog in the Sierras this week. All three were
airlifted to safety Thursday morning.
An unexpected storm trapped a Live Oak High School graduate, his friend and their dog in the Sierras this week. All three were airlifted to safety Thursday morning.
John Bumgarner, 28, Shana McCarthy, 24, and Rufus, age unknown, had gone camping Saturday at Dinky Lakes in the Sierra National Forest, south of Yosemite National Park in Fresno County.
When they did not show up for work Monday morning, their employers became concerned and notified authorities.
Bumgarner’s mother Marlene said Thursday afternoon that she was very relieved. She is a Gavilan College instructor and author of several books on healthy eating and working with children,
“We are very proud of them both,” Bumgarner said. “They did all the right things to stay safe.”
The couple was spotted early Wednesday evening near their tent by a Fresno County Sheriff’s rescue helicopter but weather prevented their rescue until Thursday.
“They are in good condition,” Bumgarner said of her son and McCarthy. “We fed them cheese burgers, let them in the shower and then to bed. They are very tired.”
The dog got peanut butter dog biscuits.
She said they would probably take a few days to drive home.
“The kids won’t be ready to go back to work before Monday, if then,” Marlene said. “But for now, we just want to keep them close.”
Bumgarner praised the rescue workers.
“I can’t say enough good things about the (Fresno County) deputies, the Forestry Department and the search and rescue people – they were so kind and patient.”
A 15-member rescue team tried again Wednesday night to reach the camp site three miles away on foot and by snowmobile but, Bumgarner said, the snow was too slushy and they gave up only a half mile from their goal. The helicopter team tried again Thursday morning during a short window when the fog lifted. They were successful.
John has worked at Sonoma Outfitters and Marmot in Santa Rosa, where he learned the tricks of staying alive in dangerous weather and the benefits of good clothing and gear, which they had, his mother said. Cotton garments got wet, stayed wet and froze solid, she said, while polysynthetics dried out and continued to insulate.
Marlene said they maintained a schedule to keep track of the time – walking down to the lake at regular intervals, breaking through the ice for water – they did have a filtration system with them – instead of using up scarce fuel in melting snow for drinking water.
It was a very good thing that the tent had a vestibule, Marlene said, because it allowed the couple a place to keep wet clothing separated from the interior.
The two humans and a dog kept each other warm and shared their remaining food, rationed when they realized they would be staying awhile.
Rufus got most of the food, Marlene said, because John and Shana couldn’t tell when the large animal was feeling faint from hunger. Tuesday they ate four almonds.
Bumgarner, a 1993 Live Oak graduate, is general manager of Mother’s Tavern in San Luis Obispo where they live.
The storm, which blew in late Sunday, trapped two other hiking parties and contributed to the deaths of two Japanese men climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
A San Benito County water district manager, John Gregg, 64, and Gene Powell, 70, of Campbell were rescued Wednesday afternoon after being trapped in the snow for two days in Tuolumne County mountains. Heavy snowfall prevented six marines and a Navy doctor from the nearby Mountain Warfare Training Center from bringing the two men out after the team reached them at 2pm Tuesday.
Carol Holzgrafe covers City Hall for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ch********@*************es.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 Ext. 201.
