- Staff
- #41
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2006
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- 48,075
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- Edmonton/Sherwood Park
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I never heard about that. Where did you guys overnight? in the cabin?
LONG STORY, BUT IT HAPPENED ABOUT 1:00PM AND WAS TOTAL SNOWSTORM/WHITEOUT.... OUR FAIRLY LARGE GROUP(12 TO 15 OF US?) OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN SNOW ANGELS JUST CRESTED THE "NOTCH" AND STOPPED TO GET OUR BEARINGS, AND DON SAID HE DIDN'T FEEL GOOD AND BASICALLY COLLAPSED BESIDE HIS SLED. WE QUICKLY GOT BLANKETS TOGETHER TO KEEP HIM WARM, AND MADE WIND BREAKERS(EVEN 1/2 AN IGLOO), BECAUSE IT WAS SO DAM WINDY UP THERE. I LEAD A SMALL GROUP OF 2 OTHERS BACK AROUND TO THE CABIN, BECAUSE WE NEW THERE WERE PARAMEDICS TRAINING IN RENSHAW, AND WE RAN INTO THEM SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY. WE FINALLY TRACKED THEM DOWN 1/2 WAY DOWN THE TRAIL, SO WE SENT 1 GUY(I THINK IT WAS BBTOYS) INTO THE RCMP STATION FOR HELP(MEDIVAC, RESCUE, ETC) AND THE PARAMEDICS CAME BACK TO THE CABIN. THE PARAMEDICS WEREN'T EXPERIENCED RIDERS, AND WERE UNCOMFORTABLE RIDING IN THE WHITEOUT AND NEVER REALLY WANTED TO RIDE BACK AROUND TO THE "NOTCH" WHERE THE REST OF THE GROUP AND DON WAS, BUT WE DID HAVE OUR COBRA 2WAY RADIOS, AND AFTER LOTS OF COACHING ON WHAT TO DO, AND QUITE A BIT OF TIME WAITING FOR THE HELICOPTER(WHICH DID SHOW UP-WE COULD HEAR IT-, BUT COULDN'T LAND, DUE TO ZERO VISIBILITY) THE PARAMEDICS SAID WE HAD TO GET HIM DOWN, BECAUSE HE WAS DIEING. I TOOK 2 OF OUR GUYS BACK UP TO THE "NOTCH" AND I THEN LED THE GROUP DOWN(WHICH I KNEW LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND BY THEN), AS WE WERE JUST ON THE TRAIL AND YOU COULD BARELY SEE THE GOAT TRAIL(ABSOLUTE WHITE OUT). SCOTT DAVIES(WHO HAD THE BIGGEST/BADDEST SLED IN THE GROUP AT THE TIME, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED) DOUBLED DON OFF THE HILL, AND I LED THEM(ULTRA BRITE HEADLITE AND VERY BRIGHT LED TAILLITE) SO THEY COULD SEE ME, AND WHERE I WAS GOING. WE MADE IT TO THE CABIN AND HEATED THE CABIN UP AS BEST POSSIBLE AND THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO STABILIZE DON. EVENTUALLY THE PARAMEDICS SAID WE HAD TO GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, THAT THEY HAD DONE ALL THEY COULD DOO. WE LOADED UP BASICALLY THE SAME WAY THAT WE CAME DOWN FROM THE "NOTCH" AND I LEAD WITH MY BRIGHT HEADLITE AND LED TAILLITE DOWN THE EXTREMELY BUMPY TRAIL(I THINK THE GROOMER WAS BROKEN THAT WEEKEND). WE HAD DON WRAPPED UP AND TIED UP IN FRONT OF SCOTT, BUT IT WAS A VERY LONG RIDE DOWN. WE GOT HIM TO THE MEDIVAC UNIT ABOUT 10:00PM THAT NITE(IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY) AND THEY WHISKED HIM OFF TO THE HOSPITAL. SEVERAL OF THE GUYS SPENT A LOT OF TIME BRINGING THE EXTRA SLED DOWN OFF THE MOUNTAIN BY MOVING THE SLED UP AND DOUBLING BACK TO GRAB THE OTHER AND MOVING IT AHEAD ETC.... TOOK A LONG TIME IN THE SNOWSTORM/WHITEOUT. DON IS OKAY TODAY AND HAD THE GREEN LITE TO GO SLEDDING LAST YEAR AGAIN. HE WORKS OUT AT ELK ISLAND SALES, SO IF YOU'RE EVER OUT THERE SAY HI TO DON.... HE'S ONE OF OUR FORT SASKATCHEWAN SNOW ANGELS', "ANGELS"......... HE IS ONE OF THE NICEST MEN YOU'LL EVER MEET. TOLD YOU IT WAS A LONG STORY, AND IT REALLY WAS A WHOLE DAY ADVENTURE.