Deputy Fleck activated the Tahoe SAR Unit at 9:15 a.m. on June 29 with a callout for an Alpine County mutual aid assist in locating two young girls who had been missing since the prior afternoon. Available responding persons were to meet at Caltrans in Meyers at 10:00 a.m. for a carpool over to Lake Alpine (just east of Bear Valley). Richard Hayworth, Joe Anderson, Mark Lorack, Beth Frank, and John Truesdell met with Fleck and the SARburban was put into service for the 2 hour drive. We met with Horse Team members Tita Froberg and Bob Anderson in Markleeville and caravanned over Ebbets Pass,. arriving at Lake Alpine Command at 12:30 p.m.
At the briefing we learned that Mallory (age 12) and Rebecca (age 8) had been missing since the afternoon of June 28, when their father left them alone for approximately 1/2 hour at Lake Alpine. Alpine and Amador County SAR teams had searched that evening and night without results and few clues as to the girls' whereabouts. Some footprints had been located at the lakes's outflow, and in one location down a drainage area to the southwest of Lake Alpine. This operation was considered very high risk due to the age of the girls, and their lack of overnight preparedness (warm clothing, food, etc). Numerous SAR teams and other resources were being called in from surrounding counties. Fleck was given his option of search areas for our Tahoe team, and he rightfully chose this outflow/drainage area. Other search crews (now numbering approximately l50 people, with air support) were to concentrate on areas northeast of the lake.
Numerous television media tractor-trailer satellite communications vans were beginning to arrive as we prepared out departure, with Terry explaining that we would be in the field until 8:00 or 10:00 that evening. It was planned that a second night search Tahoe team would be relieving us if needed. (Approximately 9 people had called in and were ready to roll at 7:00 p.m. from Caltrans for the night search op). With Fleck coordinating our efforts at Command, Foot Team One and Horse Team One departed Lake Alpine at 1:30 p.m. and began a hasty search starting at the lakes outflow and continuing down the drainage area headed towards Utica Lake. The terrain on both sides of the two-track road was rugged with severe elevation changes, numerous water crossings, and heavy undergrowth.
Both teams quickly lost radio contact with Command and Fleck. We broke into pairs and fanned out on both sides of the main river drainage, searching ravines, hills and river snags, all the while shouting, blowing whistle,s and looking for signs of the girls. Tita and Bob traveled ahead and located occasional suspect footprints, finally finding strong print evidence as they neared Utica Lake. In hot (but slow) pursuit, the Foot Team finally caught up with the Horse Team at Utica Lake, and our next search-area plans were being discussed. Our location was off the maps (provided by Alpine County SAR Command), making our decision process more difficult. At this point, communication with Command was re-established via CHP H-20 hovering overhead to relay information.
At 5:30 p.m., it was announced that the girls had been found and were at the Alpine County Sheriff sub-station in Bear Valley. It seems the girls had wandered into a Boy Scout camp approximately 2 hours (hiking time) south of Utica Lake, and were rushed to the Sheriff's station. Mallory and Rebecca were in good condition and happy to be found!
Saddle-sore Tita and Bob trotted out, and the exhausted Foot Team members "H-20ed" back to Command (thanks again for the ride, Pilot Steve and Flight Medic Leslie - you guys saved our day!!). Pat Hambel had arrived at Command late in the afternoon, just in time for a de-brief and to help us celebrate on cold pizza and soft drinks.
We arrived back in the Tahoe basin 12 hours after we left. Our efforts had been successful, if only indirectly. Fleck picked the proper search area, and as it turns out, we were approximately 2 hours behind the girls. Had the girls not located the Boy Scout Camp, I feel certain that our Tahoe Unit night shift would have found Mallory and Rebecca later that evening! A pat on our collective backs!