Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-12
ROUGH EXPERIENCES.
A PARTY OF HUNTERS CAUGHT IN a
SIERRA sNoW-sToRM.
They Abandon Everything and Break
Their Way Out Through Forty
Miles of Snow.

Miles Oh snow
Gil. ard Robert Coons, of Elk Grove
together with two other young men of tina;
locality, had an exciting adventure last
week, in which they came near losing their
lives. A few weeks ago they left Elk
Grove on an expedition to the higher
Sierra Nevada, in the vicinity of Rubicon
creek, in quest of deer, bears and any other
profitable game that might come in their
way.
Although late in the season, and pas,
the time when cattlemen, trappers and
others all leave the higher ranges of the
mountains for the valley, to escape the
awful storms that bury that locality under
from twenty to forty feet of snow, they be-
lieved they would be able to get week or
two of hunting before the winter storms
set in, owing to the lateness of the season.
The quartet OF hunters succeeded in
reaching their destination without acct
dent or incident, and established COM
Portable camp. After getting everything
t.,
met with good success. Several fine bucks
were killed and taken to their camp. They
had in few days secured about enough
meat to load their wagon, and were think
ing of soon breaking camp and starting for
home. The weather in that high altitude
was frightfully cold, and there was danger
that snow-storm might come on at any
moment and cut off their retreat
The hunters had no desire 20 pass the
winter under thirty or forty feet of snow,
with nothing to eat but venison, and as
they rolled themselves in their blankets a
week ago last Monday night they con-
cluded that the threatening condition of
the weather was a sufficient warning to
them not to postpone their departure more
than another day.
But. alas for human procrastination
They had already staid one day too long
During that night the storm broke upon
the mountain in all its fury. The snow
fell in binding clouds, and the fierce winds
that swept with such awful fury through
the great pine forest had piled it up into
great drifts.
The morning found the storm still raging
furiously, and the imprisoned hunters
looked at one another sadly and mentally
wished they had remained at their COM
Portable homes in the valley and not
tempted fate by going into the wilderness
so late in the season. They could not
venture from their cabin during such a
storm, that was certain; neither could they
afford to remein where they were, for their
horses would starve, and they must aban-
don all hope of breaking through the
snow until late in the spring, should they
live that long.
So they watched the falling snow and
licta oI tot hah or 1e ~, el,,o
aud echoed from cliff to cliff Throughout the
long day that followed, and when night
came on there was not CLEAN of hope TO
be seen through the black clouds that
rolled over the mountains. From the d.
Tection OF the lower ranges and the great
valley that lay thousands of feet below
them and so many miles away came heavy
peals of thunder, and the great flashes of
lightning told that off to the west the storm
was one Of rain. If that on the mountains
would only turn to rain during the night
and melt the soft snow: they would be all
right, and they went to sleep with that hope
uppermost in their hearts.
But it did not. The snow fell all night,
and on Wednesday morning there WAS four
feet of it on the mountain, and still falling,
although there were signs of the storm
breaking. Fortunately, they had still lit
that if the storm should cease that night
they would make a desperate effort On the
following day to get out, before a crust
should form on the snow sufficient to pre-
ven. the horses from pushing their way
through it.
1t was clear that nothing could be taken
from the camp-not even their blankets.
The wagon supplies, guns, venison-
everything must be left behind them, and
bold and desperate break made to get
down the mountain before the storm should
be resumed.
Accordingly they set out on their dan
gerous journey the next morning. The
last days snowfall had increased its depth,
and there was now about four and half
feet of il, where not drifted. In the drifts
it was several feet deeper. The horses had
much difficulty in getting through the soft
snow, but by hard work on the part of the
men fair progress was made. Robert
Coons had fixed up pair of snoEshoes,
and the party agree that but for them they
would never have got through. He was
able to go ahead and lead the horses, SO
that by leading them, with vigorous work
in the rear, o trail was slowly beaten
through the snow. Fortunately for the
party, they were familiar with the land
marks, and managed to keep pretty closely
to the route through the forest.
When darkness came on they were on q
ridge, and in trying to cover as much OF
the distance as possible they lost their way,
and had to go into camp for the night.
The horses were driven about in circle
until a big hole had been beaten in the
snow. In the center log fire was started,
and huddled around it the men and horses
spent long, tedious and uncomfortable
night. The norses suffered most, as they
had nothing 10 eat.
When morning came the party resumed
mountains. They were soon on the regu-
lar trail, and managed to keep it. That
night they reached Uncle Toms cabin,
where they were made comfortable and
their horses got plenty to eat. All real
danger was now past, as the depth of snow
was lessened, and another days tramp
brought them TO the foothIll section.
After journey of four days they reached
the valley. Their arrival home relieved
their families of great anxiety, for all old
| mountaineers in that neighborhood knew
| that the men must either have been showed
| in for the winter or taken desperate
chances on getting out during the great
storm of last week.
The boys" seem to be none the worse
| for their experiences, however, and say
that, if it does not storm before next Sun.
| day. they intend making an effort to reach
| their abandoned camp and bring out theil
guns and other property. They hope tC
be able to slide the wagon down the
mountain on runners.