A quick hike in the mountains of Virginia turned into a 16-hour rescue mission after two hikers and a dog went missing near Wintergreen Ski Resort.
Wintergreen Fire & Rescue reports Adam and Jamie, along with Jamie’s parents’ dog, 7-year-old Savannah, set out for a short “out and back” afternoon hike to get Savannah some exercise. When they failed to return by 8:00pm Jamie’s parents grew concerned and contacted the National Park Service, who advised them to call 911.
Search efforts began around 10:00pm. and continued until 2:00am. without success. Rescue teams resumed their search at daylight. According to first responders, the couple became lost on the trail, and Savannah injured her paw pads on sharp rocks and was unable to walk. Adam and Jamie carried her six miles before sheltering under a tree overnight.
At sunrise, Jamie hiked out for help and met with rescuers, who then returned with her to reach Adam and the injured dog. Due to terrain and weather, a helicopter rescue was ruled out because of low cloud ceilings. Eventually, the hikers walked out with the rescue team while Savannah was carried in a rescue basket.
Jamie’s mom reached out the Wintergreen Fire & Rescue through Facebook messenger and asked that they share their story the call so her words of gratitude could be seen by all who participated in the rescue:
“Good evening. I wanted to extend my thanks to all emergency services. You all rescued my son Adam, his friend Jamie, and our dog Savannah. The amount of time and effort that was given was amazing. Because of all you have done, I am able to hug my son tonight and sleep peacefully knowing he is home safe. A thousand thank yous again. You guys are the unsung heroes and we will always be so grateful for all your help.”
Excellent work from all the departments involved in this rescue including Nelson Dispatch, Nelson Sheriff’s Office, Nelson EMS, Piney River Fire, Montebello Fire, Faber Fire, Lovingston Fire, Rockfish Fire and Wintergreen Fire & Rescue.
