PORTLAND, Ore. — Two snowmobilers missing over the weekend in Eastern Oregon have been found, but one was hypothermic and a rescue helicopter was socked in by snow Monday afternoon.
The two got stuck in the 4 feet of snow that fell in the Wallowa Mountains, the Baker County Sheriff’s Department said.
One, 50-year-old Sam Bowman, was safe in a cabin, said Jerry Boyd, 911 dispatch director.
He said the other, 18-year-old Brennan Anderson, was reported to be “extremely hypothermic” and under the care of a nurse and paramedic who flew in on a helicopter.
But, Boyd said at mid-afternoon Monday, the snow was too heavy for the helicopter to lift off.
On the other end of the state, two snowmobilers were missing for several hours Sunday night and Monday near Mount Ashland, but were found several hours later. Rescue workers said they battled whiteout winds and had been unable to see the large fire the snowmobilers built.
The rescue operations came as the state prepared for another in a series of winter storms.
Much of the state reported treacherous road conditions early Monday with “black ice.”
Interstate 84 was closed Monday afternoon as a result of crashes. It was the third straight day that all or part of the highway that traces the route of the Oregon Trail has been shut down for hours at a stretch.
Snowfall in the Southern Willamette Valley and the Rogue Valley farther south shut down many activities. The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport was closed for five hours Sunday.
Many schools closed or delayed their openings Monday.
The National Weather Service predicted snow would resume Monday night.
In the Cascade Range, snowfall of up to 3 feet was possible by this afternoon, but little accumulation was expected on the floor of the populous Willamette Valley, the Weather Service said.
In the mountains of Southwest Oregon, snowfall was expected to range up to 2 feet, with 2 to 6 inches at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Snowfall was expected to be much lighter in Eastern Oregon.
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