On Dec. 16, at approximately 6:00 p.m., David Mericle, 47, and his 20 year-old son, Phillip, of Garden Grove, contacted the Kern County Sheriff's Department reporting they were stranded in deep snow near the Piute Mountain area. Their Jeep had slipped off the road after a chained tire broke. The pair reported they had food and water but it had been snowing intermittently. Authorities instructed them to stay with their vehicle until Search and Rescue personnel could reach them.
Kern Valley Search and Rescue, Kern County Sheriff's Air Rescue helicopter 5, and U.S. Forest Service responded. At 8:45 p.m. Sheriff's Air Rescue 5 located the Mericles on Piute Mountain Road approximately five miles west of Kelso Valley Road. Both were found to have no medical issues and were in good spirits. Ground units were able to reach them in chained-up four wheel drive vehicles. Both were transported off the mountain to the Mojave area. Arrangements were made to retrieve their Jeep at a later date.
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