Leni and Snowmachine Gang

[akflyerbob 41]

OK, at this point I don't have a lot of info, but

from hearsay and folks that have talked to someone on

the trip, things didn't go well. The ride started yesterday

probable @ daylight. Weather predicted 3-5 feet for Seward.

Some injuries that needed medavacked but it was whiteout

in the snow storm, "o" visability. All trapped on the mt.

Seems some went off a cliff in the storm???

Leni is not one of the boys hurt, I talked to Leni's

brother and Leni had been home to get parts for Mark's

machine and went back up the mountain. A couple others

Have ridden out also today to get stuff and gone back.

More when I hear

Bob

[C5Engineer 1170]

Wow... Keep us updated please and let us know if there's anything we can do to help.

[Av8r3400 1179]

Holy crap, Bob! Please let us know as you hear...

Probably can do much for them from way down here but send our best wishes and prayers for their safe return.

[akflyerbob 41]

While watching the 10:00 news lastnight there was a

medavack of a snowmachiner. So I called Leni's # and

he answered. He was at home and fine but exhausted.

He said he would post the story today.

The med flight was one of them.

Bob

[akflyer 1427]

Holy fucker ballz... We started out having a pretty good day Friday.. nice flat light, 9 open water crossings to get back to a very remote riding area. We knew we had to stay off the mountains due to very flat light so we decided to play in the trees.. Was all good till 3 guys in the group took a drop off a rock wall that they did not see coming. First guy went off and did not know he was in the air till the sled ripped out of his hands. #2 saw what happened at the last second and blipped the throttle and jumped clear. At this point both of those sleds are upside down at the bottom.. Then #3 come off, his sled spearing a buddies sled, then he landed on top of the sleds. His left arm was twisted around in a bad way behind his back and head so we knew that arm was fully fucked. he was also complaining of back pain. We got a fire going and half the crew rode out to get help after we set off the SPOT Messenger. While this is going on, the weather was rapidly deteriorating and turned into a full scale blizzard. winds picked up to about 35-40 and it was snowing so hard we could not see past the ski's. The ride out was fun, but we made the 12 mile ride in about an hour or so. We had to take the truck about 13 miles to get cell phone signal and started the rescuers our way. We got back to parking lot and waited for troopers and EMT'S to get there. Life flight declined to fly due to weather (they lost a heli and all on board last year trying to fly in shit like this so they wont fly if the weather is bad here) The trooper heli said fuck you we are not flying. We got the military to say they would bring in the black hawk if we could get a SAT phone on the scene to guide them in and give weather reports at the scene. We loaded up and headed back to the mountains with Cell phone and more gear. At this point, another guy in our group had already taken off with a team of 4 state troopers and EMT. It was about 45 minutes later we were told we needed to ride the SAT phone in.

We were trying to follow tracks to get in there, but the wind and snow had blown them out and we were riding by braille in an area that on a good day, one of the ridges gives you about 10" from your outside ski to a 400' sheer drop into a jagged rocky river bottom.... ( I looked where we were at daylight the next day and we were within 20' of taking that trip had we not turned around when we did) We got to within a couple miles of them, but had to turn back as it was just not worth us dieing trying to get into these guys. There were 12 guys that spent a long hard night on the mountain in a blizzard trying. We got back to the parking lot and hauled ass to get A arms and shocks and a few other goodies to get the sleds ride-able then went back. With day break, we were able to get back into the them and got a Coast Guard chopper in to get the injured guy out. All in all, it was a fast and furious 30 hrs but all riders and sleds are now home. Just got work that the injured guy has a broken arm, dislocated shoulder, and multiple broken vertebra. He is in good spirits and ready to get healed up and back to riding!

I think I am ready to go back to work and take a break for a week... those blizzard rides in the mountains took a little out of me.

Nellie Juan Wreck.wmv