Two Glenburn men who were returning to Nicatous Lodge near Burlington to retrieve a cell phone they had left there became stranded on a snowmobile trail during the snowstorm last night (Feb. 22, 2009) and had to be rescued by the Maine Warden Service.
Game Warden Bruce Loring received a call at 8:45 p.m. Sunday that two men driving a Toyota pickup truck were stuck in the snow on a snowmobile trail on 25000 Road in T34. The 25000 Road, off Stud Mill Road, is partly plowed in the winter and then becomes a snowmobile trail.
The rescue took approximately four hours because of the winter storm that was underway and the location where the men eventually were found. Warden Loring said the snow was falling heavily and visibility was zero, and the trail conditions were treacherous.
“The wind was driving and the snow was coming down in a steady sheet,” according to Warden Loring. “I had to stop to make sure that I was still on the trail several times, and I drove off it several more times. The only way I could navigate is with my GPS unit that I mounted on my sled.”
According to Warden Loring, Steve Goodell, 34, and Mike Noyes, 26, said they thought the quickest route to the lodge would be via the 25000 Road. But that is not a passable road during winter months. The men told Warden Loring that at one point they were stuck in the snow for two hours, but that they were able to dig out the truck and continue. They also said there was no place for them to turn around the vehicle and head back to the Stud Mill Road.
Warden Loring reached the men via snowmobile. The men were located in the truck, which belongs to Mr. Goodell, approximately 10 miles down the road near Deer Lake. Each was wearing a sweatshirt, pants and shoes, but they did not have the proper attire for winter weather conditions. They also had a dog with them.
Warden Loring said that by the time he located the men, Mr. Goodell’s truck was running but almost out of gas. The tank would have been empty in a matter of minutes, according to Warden Loring. Also, the battery on the cell phone they had with them had died.
Warden Loring gave the men extra coats, gloves and gear he had brought with him. Also, he filled the truck with six gallons of gas he carried with him on his sled. One man and the dog were brought out of the woods on Warden Loring’s snowmobile to the warden’s truck while the other man stayed warm inside the Toyota truck. Then Warden Loring picked up the other man. Both men were given a ride to Brewer.
Mr. Goodell’s truck still is on the trail. Mr. Goodell was cited for operating a motor vehicle on a snowmobile trail.
Posted by Tom Remington
