Two cases of stranded travelers were reported on Sunday.
Just after noon on Sunday, three people were reported to be suffering from exposure to the new-fallen snow in the forest area above Upper Lake, according to radio reports.
Ken and Karen Petz of Northshore Fire Protection District tried to make their way up to assist.
“We could not reach them,” Karen Petz said Monday, noting, “We got as far as we could.”
However, Petz said that U.S. Forest Service personnel were able to assist the three individuals.
Lake County News left a message for a forest spokesperson at the headquarters office in Willows which was not returned before the end of business Monday.
On the Mendocino County side of the forest, 12 people had to be rescued after becoming stuck in the snow, according to Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
Shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office was advised that 12 people had traveled from the Willits and North County area to the Anthony Peak Range, located on the Mendocino National Forest east of Covelo, Smallcomb said.
Once in the Anthony Peak Range area, the dozen individuals became stuck in the snow and called for help from their cell phones, according to Smallcomb. Mendocino County Search and Rescue were dispatched to the location.
At 11 p.m. Sunday four of the stranded subjects were able to walk to the location where Search and Rescue group was staged, but Smallcomb said the weather and road conditions were such that the remaining eight couldn't be reached safely until it was daylight and there was a break in the weather.
He said the stranded subjects were advised to stay inside of their vehicle until help reached their location.
At 7:30 a.m. Monday deputies, along with Ross Liberty, utilized Mendocino County Sheriff's Office snowmobiles and were able to access the remaining eight individuals who had remained at their vehicles, he said.
Smallcomb said all 12 travelers were safely returned to their families.
With winter weather conditions able to change quickly, Smallcomb advised area residents and travelers to take the necessary precautions when visiting the Mendocino National Forest in the winter time.
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