Associated Press
Three snowmobilers missing since Thursday night were found Saturday in good health but out of gas.
They went missing northeast of Mount Rainier National Park near where Kittitas, King, Pierce and Yakima counties meet, said Yakima County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Durand.
Three recreational snowmobilers came across them near Quartz Mountain in Kittitas county around 11 a.m. Saturday and offered food and water, which they refused. All they said they needed was gas.
The sheriff’s department did not release the names of the three, a 40-year-old couple and a 20-year-old man, all from the Sumner area. They told rescuers they became disoriented during a snowstorm Thursday.
Well equipped with avalanche probes and shovels, they built a snow cave and settled in for the night. On Friday, they ran out of hot dogs, but still had buns and mustard. They drank melted snow and spent Friday night in a tree shelter.
On Saturday, they siphoned gas from the recreational snowmobilers and rode to Whistlin’ Jack Lodge on Chinook Pass, where they were reuinted with friends and family.
Teams from King, Pierce and Yakima counties took part in the search.
Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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