Couple and their dog rescued from heavy snow in Placer County over weekend

Search-and-rescue deputies helped save a local couple and their German shepherd after their SUV got stuck in heavy snow Sunday in north Placer County.

The couple had been heading to play in the snow near China Wall, according to a Facebook post Wednesday by Placer County Sheriff’s Office, but their vehicle became entrenched in thick snow on a remote roadway.

The situation was especially dire, the post said, because the couple and their dog were not adequately dressed or prepared for the snowy conditions. A moderate snowstorm struck the Sierra range over the weekend, peaking on Sunday.

The pair were initially unable to walk to an area where they could receive cell service, but finally managed to call 911 around 5 a.m., leading Placer County Sheriff’s search-and-rescue team to respond with a snowcat.

A deputy rescued the man in a snowcat while a good Samaritan passing through on a snowmobile helped transport the woman to an area hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia, the post said. The couple and their dog recovered, deputies said.

The Sheriff’s Office said the couple was “extremely lucky” to have survived the incident, and used it as a reminder to dress warmly and to bring plenty of food, water and supplies when traveling through snowy conditions.

This story was originally published January 24, 2019 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Couple and their dog rescued from heavy snow in Placer County over weekend."