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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mt. Ashland Ski Area bans most drone use ... Jackson County justice chief arrested on meth charge ... Medford woman faces DUII, manslaughter charges after crash that killed her sister ... Mt. Ashland Ski Area bans most drone use ... Jackson County justice chief arrested on meth charge ... Medford woman faces DUII, manslaughter charges after crash that killed her sister ... MOUNTAIN RESCUE Searchers find snowboarders who spent the night lost on Mount Ashland Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 28, 2015 at 11:14 AM Updated Dec 28, 2015 at 4:01 PM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 28, 2015 at 11:14 AM Updated Dec 28, 2015 at 4:01 PM » Social News After a six-hour search of the steep valleys south of Mt. Ashland Ski Area, search-and-rescue teams and the Mt. Ashland Ski Patrol located three snowboarders — two from Rogue River and one from Talent — hunkered down in a tree well, unhurt, hungry and with a mild case of hypothermia. The three, Tyler Charest, 32, of Talent and Shawn Beck, 38, and his son Ayden Beck, 15, of Rogue River, were found by search-and-rescue teams on snowshoes, about a mile below the Mt. Ashland lodge. They were found at 12:28 p.m. Monday and taken by Sno-Cat to the lodge to warm up and have some hot food, with their relieved families around them, said Hiram Towle, manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area. “It was a good outcome, couldn’t have been better,” Towle said. “They survived the cold and snow overnight by being fairly well dressed and staying together.” The three were reported missing to Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at 5:15 a.m. Monday, after they didn't come home Sunday from snowboarding. Search teams received the call by 6 a.m. and got to the lodge rapidly Monday morning. Searchers found the snowboarders' vehicle still in the parking lot and located their trail off the ski area, leading to the “Klamath (River) side,” beyond the boundaries of Mt. Ashland, said Sgt. Shawn Richards, of Jackson County Search and Rescue. The search was conducted by 30 people from Mt. Ashland Ski Patrol and search teams from Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties on snowshoes, snowmobiles, Sno-Cats, skis and on foot. “The three were snowboarding down and got to the point where they couldn’t get back up,” Towle said. Mt. Ashland on its signs, website and literature cautions skiers they must not venture out of ski-area boundaries, but it still happens with some regularity. “They moved until dark, then hunkered down in a snow cave they made in a tree well,” Richards said. “They were dressed for skiing and had only minor hypothermia. They were quite a ways off the road, in the trees." John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected]. By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 28, 2015 at 11:14 AM Updated Dec 28, 2015 at 4:01 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501