Mother And Son Rescued By Calaveras Search And Rescue
Calaveras, CA– A mother and her 9-year-old son were rescued July 12 by the Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue Team after becoming stranded in a remote area near Upper Highway 4 during a trip to Camp Wolfeboro.
The team, which had been conducting a routine training exercise near Spicer Reservoir, quickly shifted into search mode after Calaveras County dispatch received a report around 1:20 p.m. that the two were overdue and not responding to phone calls. The pair had left the Sacramento area the previous day at about 1:30 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to open a missing persons investigation, and SAR teams mobilized from their training site, setting up a command post near the Black Springs OHV area. Crews began navigating the area’s maze-like network of forest roads using four-wheel-drive vehicles and a side-by-side UTV. Air support was requested from the California Highway Patrol.
A key break came when nearby campers texted 911 to report seeing a vehicle matching the description of the missing persons the evening before. This, combined with data from a location-sharing app, confirmed the team was searching in the right area. At 5:40 p.m., SAR personnel found a handwritten note at a remote road intersection saying the mother and child were stranded and needed help. Following a trail of notes, the team located the missing pair and their vehicle about a mile later. Unable to use radio or cell signals due to the dense forest canopy, rescuers switched to HAM radio. They broadcast an emergency signal that was picked up by a retired communications supervisor in El Dorado County, who relayed the message to 911 and back to Calaveras dispatch.
Rescue personnel used vehicle recovery gear to free the stranded car and escorted the family back to the command post, where they reunited with relatives. According to officials, the GPS device the mother was using rerouted them onto remote roads before losing signal, making it impossible to retrace their steps. The mother left visible notes along intersections, turned on hazard lights at night, and her son used a whistle to issue three-blast signals — an international distress call. Their pre-trip planning, including telling someone their route and return time, was also credited with helping lead to their successful rescue.
