• Hunter Found Near Caples Lake -
1993
Search and rescue was called out just before midnight on Friday, October 9, 1993, when a hunter was reported lost in the Caples Lake area, near Snyder's Cow Camp. The subject, the owner of a restaurant in Old Sacramento, was hunting with his son-in-law when the two became separated.
Approximately 15 people from the west slope and Tahoe SAR responded and started searching this area in the early morning darkness.
Snyder's Cow Camp is located just northeast of the Caples Lake Caltrans station off of Highway 88. The area lies between 7000 and 8000 feet and is noted for it's scenic but rugged canyons and cliffs. It also includes several lakes and a major drainage. This is the same country where a father and four boys were lost near Lake Margaret in the early 90's, and where the Kenny Miller search and others have occurred.
At first light, a helicopter from Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada joined the search, and this made the difference. It wasn't long before the chopper's crew spotted a campfire about 1.5 miles north of Kirkwood Lake, and upon getting closer, spotted the hunter. There was no place nearby to land, so he was winched up into the aircraft and transported to the command post at the Caltrans Maintenance Station.
He said that he had spent most of the night wandering, apparently in Caples Creek drainage. Finally, weary and cold, he had stopped and built a fire, planning to wait until daylight. He was in good shape, apart from being tired, and extremely happy to be rescued.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |