A couple and their 4 children survived 2 nights in the recent sub-zero temperatures in Nevada after their Jeep flipped over on a family excursion on Sunday. The family of 6 used intelligent tactics to survive 2 bitterly cold nights in the Nevada desert before being rescued on Tuesday in good condition. On Monday night, the low in their area was -21ºF.
According to CNN, the family drove out on the excursion on Sunday to allow the children to play in the fresh snow that had fallen over the weekend. The trip to the snow ended with the family stuck in a canyon after their Jeep became overturned in Trinity Canyon.
View Larger Map, map of location of Trinity Canyon where family was found.
Once stranded the adults were able to start a fire and heat up rocks. They then reportedly stuffed the heated rocks in a spare tire to keep the children, ages 3-10, warm. This warming and some basic supplies in the Jeep allowed all 6 to survive the ordeal for 2 full days and nights before being discovered by rescuers. The couple had told others where they were going and this was key in assisting in their rescue.
Around 200 people, helicopters, and planes searched for the family on over 6,000 square miles of rough Nevada terrain on Monday and Tuesday. A volunteer search member spotted the Jeep on Tuesday.
“The kids did not seem to bothered. They were in good spirits. They just figured they were camping.” – Chris Montes, volunteer search member
The Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, used complex cell phone forensics and was able to greatly narrow down the location of the family on Tuesday morning.
“The cell phone forensics team pinpointed where they could not possibly be,” Nevada Wing Commander Col. told CNN
