out to experience Minnesota Winter Wonderland.

Not sure if some of you will be able to pick up link?

Wet and stranded

The north country can be unforgiving, ... but common sense has to come into play. These people were very lucky to get out of what could of been a deadly situation!

walllee: "The north country can be unforgiving, ... but common sense has to come into play. These people were very lucky to get out of what could of been a deadly situation!"

They were completely out of their element or normal life style.

They were lucky to get cell phone coverage up there. Mistakes can add up really fast to disaster. Another good reason to take a Communication device like an InReach unit.

"That's when it got really interesting," Thomasen said. "The other two guys were ahead of them and got stuck in the swamp, got wet and decided they needed to get somewhere to warm up fast … So they got their own machines unstuck and basically said they were out of there, going out the other side. They left the North Carolina family high and dry."

I don't blame them for getting out of there, after all, the ones they left behind could have followed their tracks if they got unstuck, and no sense having 6 people stuck when two can go for help, but they didn't notify authorities there was a group probably needing help out there?

Spent years trapping off a snowmobile in my youth took it many places that had no trail till I made one.

But a 10 horse Ski-doo is a lot easier to dig out and turn around then a modern
snowmobile made to run on groomed trails.

But I always had gear with to take care of myself if needed.

They were lucky indeed

ZaraSp00k: "


I don't blame them for getting out of there, after all, the ones they left behind could have followed their tracks if they got unstuck, and no sense having 6 people stuck when two can go for help, but they didn't notify authorities there was a group probably needing help out there?"

Thats what I was thinking. Obviously they knew that group needed some help. Once they had gotten out they should have alerted someone that a group was out there and possibly needing help.

riverrunner: "Spent years trapping off a snowmobile in my youth took it many places that had no trail till I made one.

But a 10 horse Ski-doo is a lot easier to dig out and turn around then a modern
snowmobile made to run on groomed trails.


But I always had gear with to take care of myself if needed.


They were lucky indeed"

Very true. A heavy snowmobile can be a disaster in the backcountry.

The group that abandoned the southern tourists without informing authorities could easily have led to the deaths of those folks.

Winter--especially at night--is absolutely unmerciful around here.

arctic: "The group that abandoned the southern tourists without informing authorities could easily have led to the deaths of those folks.


Winter--especially at night--is absolutely unmerciful around here."

The other group offered to lead them out than abandoned them? To me that does not sound good.

Well they said they wanted to experience a real winter. I think they did.

Did the people they rented the sleds from tell them to stay on designated trails?

I Have been through there hundreds of times on snowmobile. First off the map is wrong in the article, so who knows what else is wrong. It sounds like they were never more than a couple of miles off the "expressway" trail. You don't turn off that trail by accident. It is groomed and 50 feet wide on a gravel road, the Lima grade. As all of you know there are countless spurs and dead end trails in the SNF. They should have been warned about not being able to turn around easily on a tight trail. The machines have reverse but that doesn't mean they back up easy in powder. Kind of like skiing backwards in the woods. With gas they would weigh 650 lbs or more with snow packed in the track. There also was a foot of new snow making it easy to get stuck.


Who knows why they were left. It doesn't sound like the other 2 sledders were all that experienced. It could be an hour ride by trail to find a place to warm up. Trail Center to the north and Skyport to the south. You could head to Skyport on the plowed road and make it in about 20 minutes and send someone back to help them. But I doubt they thought about that way.

To a person that had any experience this never would have happened. Not one mistake but several foolish decisions. I am glad all are okay. I am sure that if they ever went snowmobiling again it would be a none event. Although I bet they have had enough of winter.

Bushpiolt quote. "It sounds like they were never more than a couple of miles off the "expressway" trail. You don't turn off that trail by accident. It is groomed and 50 feet wide on a gravel road, the Lima grade."

Exactly. Have been on sleds many times up there.
Glad they are Ok. But bad decisions.

CO report