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Subscribe to RSSA woman who was trapped in the Sierra Mountains for nearly a week survived by seeking shelter inside a hollowed-out tree and eating tomatoes and snow. KCRA-TV's Sharokina Shams reports.
A Nevada woman was found by her brother shivering in a hollow tree this week after having survived for six days on tomatoes and snow in the wintry Sierra Nevada in California, relatives and authorities said. Her boyfriend died during the ordeal.
The woman, Paula Lane, 46, of Gardnerville, Nev., was described Friday as in stable condition with only minor frostbite at Carson-Tahoe Hospital in Carson City, Nev. Her doctor said she could go home as soon as Sunday.
"She was one very lucky person," said Dr. Vijay Maiya, who treated Lane after she was found Wednesday night by her brother, who had set out in the snow to look for her against his family's advice.
Lane and her boyfriend, Roderick Clifton, 44, of Citrus Heights, Calif., had diverted from their trip home to go four-wheeling in Clifton's Jeep on Nov. 29 when they got stuck in a snowdrift in Hope Valley, south of Lake Tahoe, according to Lane's family and Alpine County, Calif., sheriff's deputies.
Clifton left to seek help, they said, while Lane stayed put. But he never returned.
After a few days, Lane decided that she was on her own and set out on foot. As she hiked toward the highway, she found Clifton's body in the snow. She later took shelter in the well of a hollowed-out tree as another snowstorm moved through the area.
Lane's brother, Gary, found her off State Route 88 in Hope Valley. Their sister, Linda Hathaway, said she'd advised him not to risk it, "but he's going to do what he's going to do," she told NBC station KCRA of Sacramento, Calif.
Reunited at the hospital Thursday, "I gave her the biggest kiss I could without hurting her," Hathaway told reporters through tears Thursday.
"It's so hard as a family to sit there at home, waiting to hear news if they're gone or if they went over a cliff or somebody abducted them," Hathaway said. "You don’t know. Your mind plays so many things."
Clifton's daughter, Mariah Clifton, said she still couldn't quite believe her father hadn't made it.
"I kept thinking he was going to call and be like, 'Hey, call off all these news reporters and police officers. We have the car covered in leaves because I don't want another speeding ticket,'" she told NBC station KCRA of Sacramento, Calif.
KCRA: Woman saved by brother; man dies in Sierra
Rescuers said they had to use snowmobiles to get to Clifton's body. When they found the Jeep, it was buried under new snow.
Lane, however, had been remarkably lucky, having gotten out of the vehicle just in time, and with just enough supplies.
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"Before they went on their excursion, they had stopped by some family members' houses and apparently, they had gotten some tomatoes. She sustained herself on tomatoes and snow," Maiya said Thursday at the news conference at the hospital.
"Her toes were a little on the bluish side for lack of oxygen," but "they've re-warmed nicely, and she's doing well," he said, adding that Lane could be home with her 11-year-old twin children by the end of the weekend.
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I do a lot of traveling, and a lot of solo 4-wheeling. It can be dangerous. I don't recommend it for everyone. If you want to, however, follow some simple rules:
1. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Even if you stray from your planned path, they will have a general idea of where to find you.
2. Pack enough supplies to last a week longer than you plan to be gone. If you can stay warm and fed, the rest is bearable.
3. Know the capabilities of your vehicle and yourself. You'll still get stuck from time to time, but maybe not irreparably.
4. If you do get stuck badly enough to need assistance, stay with the vehicle. A vehicle is easier to spot than a person, and you can burn your spare tire to mark your location.
I've been stuck a few times in the snow when out by myself. Having a few tools along such as a shovel, a jack, and a come along if you don't have a winch can make a huge difference. Those items have been enough to get me out of a few predicaments.
Chapstick!
i experiencd real cold in Korea when they had to cut my gloves off my hands because they had frozen to my skin.,I guess that's what you get for trying to warm your hands too long by a heater.Sweat and -40 does'nt mix too well.Shame on stupid me.
also tip #1 -stay on the main road! don't go around a locked gate as these 2 did!
This woman is extremely lucky. First she is lucky that she was able to find shelter when the second storm blew through. Second she is lucky that her brother is stubborn and came out looking for her against the advice of other family members. And finally, she was lucky that by chance they had gotten the tomatoes from relatives so that she had something to eat to help keep her body fueled so she could keep reasonably warm. It is just too bad that her boyfriend did not survive the ordeal. It must have been extremely traumatic for her to find hr boyfriends body when she started hiking out herself. I can not imagine how she must have felt seeing him frozen in the snow. I certainly hope that she gets whatever counseling she needs to deal with it.
I lived in Alaska for many years, we kept extra cold-weather gear in our vehicles all winter long (usually ski suits, boots, gloves, blankets, water, socks), plus things like heavy-duty chains, a snow shovel, clay kitty litter or a bag of sand - (the extra weight in a vehicle gives you more traction, and the sand/litter can be used if you get stuck), flattened card board boxes, and a tarp. Many times I got my vehicle unstuck in deeper snow or ice by putting the flattened boxes under my tires and using them for traction in the tough spots. And always, always practice putting on your chains, BEFORE, you go into a snowy area, the worst place to learn how to put on chains is on the side of the road in the snow (I learned the hard way). I have a very hearty respect for the snow, and never take venturing out into it without some preparation.
Staying in the vehicle is what they both should've done. Eventually, someone would've come for them. The vehicle would have been easier to spot and would have kept them sheltered. Most importantly, they could have periodically used the car heater to stay warn as long as there's enough gas in the tank, but even on a quarter of tank, you can easily survive for six days if you're smart about using it. Basically, it's a rare situation where you have no other options but to abandon the vehicle, but this particular situation was not one of those, but they panicked and did not know any better. I'm glad at least one of them survived. May her boyriend rest in peace. Good brother, too.
Please also carry on you body a referee whistle and a charged up cell phone--a cheap $9.99 Tracfone will do fine for the purpose. The phone might not be useful, if there is no cell coverage, but if there is, you can let others know you're in trouble. With the whistle, it's easier to get the attention of searchers blowing it than yelling yourself hoarse.
There are several cheap items on the market to prevent this scenario from turning bad......most efficient one is SPOT. It works everywhere.
Looks to me like Darwin was right.
I didn't know Keebler had a factory there.
Two bottle jacks and boards to stick under them can get you out of almost anything sooner or later. Always keep a jacket in your trunk, even in the summertime. A hand winch is pretty good to keep around as well. As for the tomatos, good choice of vegetable, or are they a fruit ?
For those who don't know, vegetables are strictly the leaves, stems, and roots of plants. Fruits are the embryo bearing portion. That means that technically speaking, green peppers, cucumbers are fruits.
HaHa! First thing I read was 2 bottles of Jack. It's not even 7AM yet!!
However, in my defense, booze does help keep one warm.
actually, booze is exactly what one does not need in this situation...
Amoung other things, you really have to watch out for snow eating tomatoes, they are probabily one of the worst things around :-) Sorry just had to do it. Seriously she is one lucky lady, amazing that living in that area they were not better prepared and definately should have known better!
good advice...now let's hope some scumbag lawyer doesn't want to sue Jeep corp for getting stuck..
This day and age, anything can be a winning lottery ticket.
Most of the good lawyers like to go after morons. Mike and Blake seem to be obvious candidates as stay-at-home light weight mental men. Maybe there's enough video games around to pay for the court costs once all their assests are seized. It's obvous they have no experience off roading and less about recognition of mental illness and seeking proper residential care.
What words are you even trying to form in a sentence BH? I think you lost all your meaning when you failed to use them in a remotely coherent order. But what? Video games to pay for court costs? What does that mean? Have you been drinking? Homeless people in Lowell have often uttered equally incomprehensible statements to me but that doesn't mean I've yet to make any sense of them. Can anyone tell me what that previous post is supposed to mean?!
Actually, this story should begin: A Nevada woman, shivering in a hollow tree and having survived for six days on tomatoes and snow, was found by her brother.
Instead, it reads like the brother was shivering in a hollow tree found the sister because the author split an infinitive.
READ IT AGAIN.....Annie...
(((( A Nevada woman was found by her brother shivering in a hollow tree this week after having survived for six days on tomatoes and snow in the wintry Sierra Nevada in California. ))))
That is what was posted !! Gessss
All seems a bit fishy to me. Authorities couldn't find her yet her brother goes straight to her....hmmm.
SHE finds her boyfriend's body....hmmm.
Hey Missy...get a clue and learn proper grammar. What Annie said, makes perfect sense.
Annie, that's how I read it too. I had to reread it a couple times for it to make sense.
Missy, are you done being a b?
Bec, that's my aunt. Show some respect. He found her after 6 days of searching. That's not going straight to her.
Glad she's alive, J.Lane.
Oh shoot. How scary is that? I am glad she made but so sorry for the person who didn't.
Dang!
Mother nature is beautiful..but also brutal sometimes.
Reminds me of my wife. ;)
God Bless Her Brother! What a brave lady!
One of the reasons I always carry matches with me on trips is you never know when you need to set something afire - like the spare tire - to get someone's attention.
You're better off carrying a couple of lighters in zip-lock bags. One should always have a lighter on them because you never know when you may get into a situation where you're left to your own devices.
Man, best Christmas gift ever. Glad ya made it, Paula!
Yer Pal Always,
Thee
I was in Hope Valley in October and it is a beautiful wilderness, but not anywhere I would go off-roading with a major winter storm coming in. Not sure what they were thinking and it is sad that someone lost their life. The rules of traveling in the high sierra during winter are:
Enough food and water to last several days; Blankets or sleeping bags to keep you warm; chains and a shovel; Sand or kitty litter to spread on ice; and most important TELL SOMEONE where you are going.
That is some dangerous back country. The brother should have had a partner and just marked some trees with ribbons or something...GPS to not get lost. It isn't that dangerous to go back out and look if you have the right tools. I would have done the same thing. Too bad some other search and rescue groups didn't try sooner and save the husband. WTG bro....at least your sis is still here to take care of her twin children and you can be the proud hero/uncle. Sorry to hear about the boyfriend though...what a difficult situation this was/is. May he RIP.
Tip: Wheels and Snow are not compatible.
Tow truck drivers have a favorite saying, " Wheels....pavement........wheels....pavement!
Lucky yes - this tragedy could have been avoided as they drove around a LOCKED BARRIER...if they had stayed on the main road, he would probably still be alive. People...there's a reason why some roads are closed in the winter!
Just were did it say in the above article, That they drove around a locked barrier better get your eyes checked.
It was reported in the local news
a jeep stuck?? must have been a patriot or a dodge w/a jeep name.... cool chick though, she handled herself well. sad for the guy............. a jeep stuck?????
Any vehicle can get stuck. The really good ones just take you to a more inaccessible place for it to happen.
The brother had nothing to do with it Sdsurfer....he is the one that found his sister. Cliffton, the boy friend, who is now dead, probably has a history of stupid behavior. Dead finds stupid faster than the other folks. You don't mess with the Sierra's, I lived in them for 3 years and when the snow is comming down, you stay inside.
clearshot..you didn't read clearly Sdsurfer comment correct.
He was saying when her brother went out alone to search for them he should of had a partner with him, and leave ribbon marks or something to show which way he went to search.
What an amazing brother!!!!! Brought tears to my eyes!! A true hero from my perspective! Terribly sad about her friend - good reminder that Sierra weather can be unforgiving.
Guy was an idiot. Jeep / Fiat / Chrysler / whoever owns them this week should be sued massively for promoting such risky behavior.
In today's culture, everyone thinks they are indestructible because of the major advances in technology at our disposal. The fact remains that when technology fails or the power grid shuts down, it's back to mother nature and survival of the fittest. I'm glad this woman can live to tell her tale, but they got into this mess by relying on 21 st. Century mechanized technology, brandished with false bravado and ignorance. "All's well that ends well.... at least one of them."
You also have to remember that before things like the internet there were a lot (more?) of these kinds of stories. They just didn't make it passed the local news paper so the rest of the world didn't know about them.
It was an old Jeep, I think the news here in Sacramento reported that it was an 89 that he had just bought. The news was all over how bad the storm was going to be and in the high sierras 4 to 5 feet of snow in one storm is normal. There are several roads in that area that are closed in winter and anyone who takes them is just asking for trouble.
Denver Bill and others noted the first rule. ALWAYS TELL A RELIABLE PARTY WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN TO EXPECT YOUR RETURN. And these days, sadly, this rule is not just for wilderness travel.
I dont understand why the guy ventured off by himself. He might have survived if he had her by his side. I could never go off leaving my significant other, and I firmly believe two can accomplish more than one. Sad story from the perspective of the man's family. My heartfelt condolences.
No disrespect meant to the guy but if he got a Jeep stuck then leaving his vehicle doesn't surprise me.
Drives like a go cart, rides like a stage coach, gas mileage in the teens, noisy and windy, expensive rag top, Over priced and under powered.
Jeeps, No wonder they have a wench on the front.
Some have a "WINCH" on the front. But if there is one that comes from the factory with a 'WENCH', please tell me where I can buy one. LOL
00ps
"wench" was in the passenger seat, there may or may not have been a "winch" on the front of the truck, but a "wench" on the front of the truck, that's right up there with whackin' the chick in the head with a club for foreplay, or when you take out "bambi" with an automatic assault rifle you strap the carcass to your hood but it's rarely acceptable in today's society to strap your wench to the front of your car...
What a coincidence survior man on television just had a show on surviving in those exact cicurmstances, he was showing what to do if you found yourself stranded in the snow in a remote area in your vehicle. That lady was very lucky her brother came looking for them, But she also must have done some things right to survive that many days. What a remarkable story. Its too bad that her boyfriend was not as lucky as she was.
"Alpine County Undersheriff Robert Levy said Clifton had recently purchased the 1989 Jeep Cherokee and wanted to try out its four-wheel-drive when he drove around a locked gate blocking access to a road."
... I Guess the 4x4 didn't work so well then........:)
My motocross buds used to laugh at me for ALWAYS bringing a box of supplies (food, water, space blankets, lighters, flashlights) in my truck when we would head out to the boonies, but nearly every death from getting stuck out in the wilds could have been prevented by this simple task.
I hate to sound suspicious, but how on earth did her brother find her? How did he even know where to look? The Sierra's are gigantic. The story makes it sound like their diversion from the highway was a spur of the moment thing. Strange story, but thank God she's okay. I'm so sorry for the family of her boyfriend, however.
They were on grounds that she goes camping on. They had searched all routes that could have been taken and finally came to the last route which happened by this site.
The stupid idiots got what they deserved. If they were just driving on a normal route then this act of stupididty by the dumb little trick and her boyfriend would have been more understandable, but these idioots went looking for it, and they got what they deserved. Another example of stupid naive white people that have no business in the wilderness. Another example of white people that need to be sent back to Europe.
no one deserves to die young....and he wasn't even an evil wrong doer just foolish
Uh Doc, 'luck' has nothing to do with this. Blessing.