Published: December 22, 2009 09:28 pm print this story

Seven trapped hunters rescued
By Jackie Ayres
Register-Herald Reporter

Seven bear hunters who were trapped on Cold Knob Mountain in last weekend’s snowstorm have been rescued without injuries, authorities say.

“We had approximately seven hunters that were in three different locations that were trapped. The snow hit them too quickly,” said Greenbrier County Emergency Services Director Al Whittaker.

Whittaker said rescuers were able to reach two of the three campsites of hunters late Monday. The remaining hunters were rescued from a third campsite around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

“They couldn’t get out because there was 36-plus inches of snow. Some places had snow drifts of about seven foot up there,” Whittaker said.

The elevation on Cold Knob is nearly 4,300 feet.

Officials said the hunters were able to make contact with a DNR officer via radio from their campsite Saturday afternoon.

A request was immediately put in to the state emergency operations center for tools to rescue the men.

Several initial attempts to reach the hunters with National Guard Humvees and snowmobiles were unsuccessful, Whittaker says.

The first two campsites of hunters were rescued with “large” equipment borrowed from Plumb Creek Timber Co. Monday night.

Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, Whittaker reported that the last set of hunters had been rescued.

“Everyone is safe and sound now,” he said. “None of them were injured. All of the hunters were doing fine.”

Although the men had food and water, Whittaker said, food supplies were starting to run low.

“I want to thank all of the agencies who assisted trying to reach the hunters.”

Residents from Marlinton, the Division of Highways and National Guard helped in the rescue.

Well, it is great that these guys are now safe and sound, but I just can’t help wondering if perhaps somewhere the BEAR GODS might not be smiling.

I have no doubt that some if not all of these “hunters” have many a hide nailed to their barn walls. Perhaps though a sow with her cubs is warm in some snow bank and telling her youngsters that sometimes it is true that “what goes around comes around.”

This season it seems that they will be safe too.