Couple Survives Four Nights in Cold

By
ABC News
December 23, 2005, 1:14 PM ET
2 min read

Dec. 23, 2005 — -- A Portland couple survived four nights in their car after getting stuck in the snow in a mountainous area of Detroit, Ore.

Chel White and Laura Ivy were headed to Breitenbush Hot Springs, a mountain retreat and wildlife sanctuary in the Willamette National Forest.

Ivy told ABC Portland affiliate KATU that their ordeal began around 5 p.m. Sunday when their car got stuck in the snow, despite its having all-wheel drive and chains on the tires. The road they took was closed, she said, but there was no sign posted.

"We are just everyday people," she said. "We had no idea the road was closed."

The couple waited for days, warming their car from time to time. "We'd heat up the car, but we didn't want to fall asleep with it running," White told KATU. "At a certain point, we felt a little dizzy and were wondering if we were getting a little too much carbon monoxide."

Ivy said they brought along some food and supplies but had only enough to last maybe a few more days.

A Frantic Search

Meanwhile, friends and co-workers of the couple began to worry -- they knew they were headed into the mountains the same day that a snow and ice storm hit the area.

"We had nothing but dark thoughts on our minds," David Daniels told KATU. "And we were going to walk the entire road to Breitenbush looking over every corner and every edge."

Search and rescue crews fanned out Wednesday but could not find the couple before darkness. Thursday morning, volunteers who set out in their own snowmobiles found the couple, who, despite being cold and hungry, were doing well.

"I just burst out of the car like a rocket," Ivy said. "And then I saw these guys, and I started waving my arms and as soon as I saw their eyes, I just burst into tears because it felt like a dream."

Ivy told KATU that their rescuers did not expect to find them alive. "When we saw the snowmobiles this morning it was amazing," she said. "We stayed with our car the entire time. Our rescuers said we did the right thing."

Lt. Doug Garrett of the Marion County Sheriff's Office agreed. "They did everything right, as far as surviving," Garrett said, "and ultimately it became a success story."