Tourist rescued after spending 5 days stranded in deep snow at Bunny Flat

SISKIYOU COUNTY — A Massachusetts woman visiting Siskiyou County’s Bunny Flat was rescued after spending five days stranded in her car after it became stuck in deep snow last Sunday, Feb. 24. Bunny Flat is a popular winter recreational area located at the end of Everett Memorial Highway, northeast of the City of Mt. Shasta.

Although the rescued victim eventually managed to make a call for help on Wednesday, the first search and rescue team sent to her aid that day had to abort their efforts when their specialized rescue vehicles also became stuck and could go no further.

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Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office was first alerted to the victim’s dilemma shortly before 11 a.m. last Wednesday when the woman, later identified as Lydia Briggs, managed to make a 911 call and report that her Toyota Prius was stuck in deep snow.

Briggs told officials she had ventured into the area from Everett Memorial Highway on Sunday, “but encountered heavy snow after recent storms and needed assistance,” SCSO later explained on social media.

Briggs reportedly told SCSO’s Search and Rescue Coordinator, Deputy Mike Burns, that she was nearly out of food and had been melting snow to use as drinking water. She also advised she had been intermittently running her vehicle to stay warm, but had less than a quarter-tank of gas remaining.

SCSO’s SAR team first attempted to deploy a snowmobile and later a “Sno-Cat” to Brigg’s location; “however, due to the excessive amount of snow that had fallen in the area (about six feet) the snowmobile and Sno-Cat could not traverse the deep, snow-covered roadway,” explained SCSO.

Because of the heavy snow and roadway conditions, both rescue crews eventually had to abort their mission.

The following day SCSO’s SAR team requested assistance from Eric Freeman and his Mt. Shasta-based Siskiyou County Road Department crew, “since the only way to reach the stranded tourist was to clear the deep snow from the roadway leading to the Bunny Flat parking area,” SCSO explained.

Under Freeman’s guidance, Siskiyou County Road Department special equipment operators Garrett Richardson and Conner Ebel were assigned the mission of clearing the roadway to the victim.

The road crew deployed large snow blowers on Everett Memorial Highway and “worked continuously under adverse conditions to clear the roadway,” said SCSO.

The road crew finally managed to reach Briggs Thursday morning around 10:30 a.m. They then guided her back down Everett Memorial Highway to safety.

“We are grateful Ms. Briggs was rescued and she is now safe,” Sheriff Jon Lopey said after the successful rescue operation.

“We are very thankful for SCSO’s SAR team, led by Deputy Burns, and the extraordinary efforts of the Siskiyou County Public Works’ Road Department Crew,” Lopey continued. “Despite the very challenging and hazardous environmental conditions they encountered during this critical mission, the hard-working and courageous equipment operators saved the day and ensured Ms. Briggs was rescued.”

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.