BC Tel- Snowcat Trip 1972

On one trip to Meziadin by Snow-Cat with Birke Brookbank, from Brown Bear,
We were using the Skinner, and merrily motoring along when suddenly “sploosh”, into a ice hole we went.
The water from a creek had dammed up under the snow, and we were now in a snow covered lake in the middle of the road!
First thing we grabbed for was the radio which was mounted on the floor, since the water was rushing in the back door.
Now came the fun job of climbing out of the machine without getting more wet than we were.
We managed to climb out onto the rails and I went first and leaped as far as I could from the machine, and I sunk in over my boots.

Next came Birke, and he was just a bit heavier than me, and in he went, 3’ of ice cold water.
We got dried off best we could, and started walking to Meziadin, after calling in and letting Terrace know what happened.
This walk was many miles if I remember right, thru knee deep snow, after we were wet! Hypothermia anyone?

Getting to Meziadin we got into the Spryte that was there in the garage, and decided to go back to the Skinner and rescue our gear, and pull the Skinner out.
We approached the area carefully, and with the wider tracks all was going well, until “sploosh”, in it went also.

Now here we are in the middle of the road, no tree to tie the winch to, both machines stuck, dead tired, and getting close to supper time and dark.

A rescue call went out, to bring in the chopper, and get us the hell out of there! Getting back to town, we told all that would listen,
our sad story about this flood we went through.
The next week Don Parr, sent Ron Strumecki, and a few of the other guys, went up with the trailer to pull the machines out.
Unbelievable as it sounds, they drove up the road, No snow, No water, and sitting in the middle of the road were these 2 snow machines!
Sitting all by themselves, with nothing around them. It was like Moses had parted the waters for them!
I had taken my camera, and took some pictures of the event as proof, good thing I did, or no one would have believed us!
When the Skinner was brought into the barn on the trailer, I was there so I looked it over, and there on the rail
was sitting my light meter for my camera! It had fallen out of my pocket and landed on the rail, and survived the trailer ride all the way back into town.
One for Ripley's Believe it or not!
Now you know the rest of the story!

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