Update: Albany County authorities say Wednesday's rescue of a South Dakota snowmobile group missing in Medicine Bow National Forest was successful.

On Dec. 26 Albany County and Carbon County search and rescue teams were able to reach the missing party by snowmobile and snowshoe.

According to a statement, an Albany County search team was able to ride snowmobiles to about half of a mile away from the lost party. The team made radio contact with the group to confirm their location was the same as where a search helicopter had seen them the previous day and snowshoed in the rest of the way.

The group then snowshoed back to the snowmobiles and reached the Crater Lake trailhead by nightfall.

The rescued party was transported by Albany County Search and Rescue to the Green Rock parking area, where they were reunited with family and friends.

Albany County Sheriff's Office says the party survived by rationing food, having a fire, melting snow for water, and building a makeshift shelter from snow, log poles and pine boughs.

No injuries were reported.

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Four snowmobilers reported missing in Medicine Bow National Forest have been located.

The group was located in Carbon County, near Deep Creek, by a search helicopter on the afternoon of Dec. 25. The helicopter pilots were not able to land but dropped food, water, and a note saying to wait for extraction.

Albany County Sheriff's Office made a statement on Dec. 24 that four people riding snowmobiles had been reported missing in the Snowy Range Mountain area west of Laramie. The group from South Dakota was to check out of the Albany Lodge but never did.

The group's vehicle was located parked at the Green Rock parking area on Hwy 130. They were said to be riding Ski-Doo 850cc snowmobiles.

State trail groomers were requested to search overnight on Dec. 23 while working and the United States Air Force was requested to assist with attempted cell phone forensics in an attempt to locate them.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office was also notified and requested to check sections the forest located in their county.

Albany County Sheriffs activated four snowmobile search teams on the morning of Dec. 24, but searches were unsuccessful and suspended for the night at approximately 5 p.m.

The 37th helicopter squadron out of F.E. Warren Air Force Base conducted a night search of the area, also with no success.

Little information was known on where the missing subjects were riding which resulted in a tremendous search area.

On Christmas Day around 3 p.m., a helicopter located a group that fit the description of the missing persons. The group had a fire and was reported seemingly healthy to the Albany County Sheriff's Office.

Carbon County Sheriff's Office confirmed command Wednesday morning of rescue operations.

 

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