Skiers and their dog rescued after spending two chilly nights in the Sierra

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Two skiers and their dog spent two chilly nights in the snow before being rescued by a California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter on Monday morning.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office requested CHP Helicopter H-20 to assist them in locating skiers who had been missing since the afternoon of Saturday, February 16. H-20 located the skiers in the snowy mountains miles away from Highway 88 and Peddler Hill, south of Lake Tahoe. They had built a snow cave to survive the sub-freezing temperatures.

Due to the remote location and soft snowpack, H-20 inserted an El Dorado County Search and Rescue member to assess the skiers and prepare them for transport. Both skiers, the dog “Parker,” and the rescuer were hoisted from the mountain.

CALSTAR and Care Flight Air Ambulances met H-20 near Peddler Hill and transported both skiers to Sutter Roseville Medical Center for treatment of cold-related injuries.

View video of the rescue - CHP Valley Air Division Facebook.