NEWBERRY (WWJ) -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding everyone of snowmobiling safety skills after two snowmobilers got lost and ended up stranded in the Upper Peninsula.
At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Justin Vinson was contacted about a pair of snowmobilers who were stuck in northern Luce County.
According to 911 dispatch, two men in their mid-60s had gotten lost and run out of gas trying to find their way back. The snowmobilers were from Minnesota and Iowa. Though they were not novice snowmobilers, they were unfamiliar with the area and got turned around.
A combination of high winds, heavy rain and near-freezing temperatures had left the men soaked and cold. They were able to take shelter in an outhouse at Holland Lake State Forest Campground -- located about 5 miles south of the Lake Superior Shoreline in the Newberry area.
Luckily, the pair had a cell phone with them and were able to get service, despite being in a remote part of the county.
Officer Vinson used his DNR patrol sled to reached the stranded snowmobilers around 2:45 a.m. The two were unsure where they had left their vehicles.
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They told Vinson they initially ventured out at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning after parking their truck and trailer near Alger County Highway 58 and the Adams Trail on the Kingston Plains. They planned to ride west along the coast of Lake Superior with the goal of ending up in Munising, but they had no specific route in mind.
According to Officer Vinson, the men likely got turned around in a series of trail loops west of Grand Marais.
After locating the two abandoned snowmobiles, Vinson provided them with gas and helped get them started up. Vinson escorted the pair to the nearest park-and-ride lot where they could leave their vehicles overnight.
Once the snowmobiles were in a secure place, Vinson drove the men back to where they had left their truck the previous morning. They arrived at 5:30 a.m. -- over 18 hours after they originally set out.
"The incident illustrates the importance of knowing trail and weather conditions before heading out on a snowmobile trip," said a press release from Michigan DNR Lieutenant Officer Eugene Hagy.
Hagy said that the snowmobilers could have benefitted from a map and a compass or GPS unit during their outing.
That being said, traveling together, carrying a cell phone to call for help and seeking dry shelter were all good decisions, though it is important to note that cell phone service is not always available in outlying areas.
For more information on snowmobiling, visit Michigan.gov/Snowmobiling.
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