But on Tuesday, as first reported by KCRA, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office sought the help of the California Highway Patrol’s Valley Division air forces to rescue the couple, who called for help earlier that day.
They had attempted to leave by car, but the snow and downed trees blocked all roads in the remote Sierra area.
Aerial footage shared by the CHP shows snow packed in around the cabin, with only a few patches of green surrounding the vicinity. An H-20 helicopter flown by a CHP pilot identified as “Lewis” was able to land around the area, despite blocked roads and punishing winds.
“The pair and their dog were flown in H-20 to a landing zone where Sierra County Deputies transported them to a safe location,” said the CHP in a Facebook post Wednesday.
But details surrounding the couple’s circumstances were scant. The amount of supplies the couple had to survive on for nearly two months is unclear, as is the reason behind why the couple did not call for authorities until Tuesday.
Flurries of snow struck the Tahoe and Sierra area all through December, reaching an apocalyptic breaking point late in the month. By Dec. 28, the Tahoe area broke a 51-year record, setting the snowiest December ever recorded by the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
A Sierra County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source Article from https://www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/article/Couple-trapped-in-Sierra-cabin-rescued-16832817.php
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