November 1981 - From Chalfant Press newspaper report:

Search and Rescue training. Martin A. Strelneck, Jr., Mono County Sheriff, said during the first week of November three members of the June Lake Search and Rescue Team attended a National Avalanche School in Reno, NV. Members Doug Nidever, James Collins and Steve Gold participated in the intensive seminar under the sponsorship of the Mono County Sheriff's Department.

The four-day school covered in depth many phases of the avalanche phenomenon. Classes specific to mountain weather, falling snow, the changing snow pack and avalanche propagation were included in the curriculum. Also covered were avalanche control, back country route finding and various rescue methods. After the final examination, many advanced topics pertinent to avalanche study were presented by some of the top researchers in this field.

The June Lake Rescue team has participated in many winter search and rescue operations throughout Mono County including the recovery of several avalanche victims. Participation in the National Avalanche School will help to enhance the team's effectiveness in safety during future winter maneuvers, Strelneck said.

January 3-8, 1982 From Mono Herald newspaper report by Patty Fuller:

Boy, 10, survives plane wreck and five nights of cold. Suffering from extreme frostbite, hypothermia and emaciation, but miraculously alive, 10-year-old Donald Priest "was found amid the wreckage of a small plane Friday, five nights of sub-zero weather after the aircraft carrying the boy, his mother and step-father went down on the north-east face of White Mountain in Mono county.

The two adults, pilot Dr. Ronald Vaughn and wife Lee, who had been in the cockpit of the plane, were found dead at the 11,100 foot crash site when rescuers arrived at the scene after spotting the plane from a Navy helicopter. The family was from Orinda.

The boy was immediately airlifted out by the Navy for medical treatment at Yosemite, then flown to Valley Medical Center in Fresno. Following medical attention, he was listed in stable condition.

Tuesday he was then transported to Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto where doctors had to amputate both feet due to severe frostbite.

According to Dave Walizer of Civil Air Patrol, the young boy was located at 11:30 a.m. Friday by a rescue helicopter from Lemoore Naval Air Station, with a Navy crew and two park rangers from Yosemite on board.

A three-foot section of the four-seat Grumman American aircraft was spotted from the air while the rest of the aircraft was completely covered in snow - the results of four days of storming that hampered search efforts.

Priest was semi-conscious at the time of the rescue, said Walizer, although suffering from the long exposure to cold. He was found wrapped in a sleeping bag at the rear of the plane. Walizer felt that having the sleeping bag may have saved his life.

A spokesperson at the Fresno medical facility reported Priest had suffered no broken bones from the crash, but he was still under observation for possible internal injuries.

The bodies of his step-father and mother were taken out Saturday morning by Mono County Sheriff's Department and a rescue team. A member of the National Transportation and Safety Board was also on hand at this time to investigate the crash, said Walizer.

As of yet, exact cause of the accident has not been determined.

From all indications thus far, he said, pilot Vaughn and his wife were killed upon impact: The adults had been in the front of the plane when it went down, while young Priest was to the rear - another factor that may have saved him, figured Walizer.

Involved in air and foot searches since the plane was lost off radar screen last Sunday, Jan. 3, in addition to CAP, were Mono County Sheriff's Department, the U.S. Park Service, U.S. Navy, and Southern California Edison.

Many planes, helicopters, and over 50 people had been involved in the search efforts over the five-day period, although Walizer reported that the pilot of the aircraft that ultimately discovered the downed plane felt it hadn't been visible until Thursday when winds came up and blew snow off the craft.

"The north-east wind that came up Thursday uncovered the tail (of the plane). That area had been flown before," said Walizer and the plane hadn't been sighted.

Until two days before the rescue, aircraft from many parts of the state were available and on stand-by to search for the missing plane, but severe weather that dropped several feet of snow held seachers back.

According to Walizer, the plane had orginally stopped at Mammoth Airport Sunday afternoon and had taken off again at 3 p.m. bound for San Francisco bay area. The aircraft had been under instrument flight rules and had been in radio and radar contact with an Oakland communications center as late as 4:28 p.m.

Reportedly Vaughn had stated at the time over radio that the small plane was at 12,000 feet level and requested clearance to go to a higher altitude due to turbulence and extreme downdrafts.

It was shortly after this report that Oakland reported the plane was lost off radar in the area of Tioga Pass, to the east of the Sierra divide.

Twenty-five years later, he returned to the crash site as described in this November 2007 article. The article provides much expanded information on the search and his life following the rescue. Very interesting reading.

SALVAGING THE WRECKAGE - June Lake Search and Rescue Jan. 15 accompanied a salvage crew to the site of the crash of the Grumann American light aircraft that was carrying Dr. Ronald Vaughn, his wife Lee, and her son Donald Priest to San Francisco when it crashed Jan. 3. Above, the salvage crew centers the remains of the plane wreck on the takeaway trailer and tightens the cables. The wreckage will be transported to San Jose. Doug Nidever Photo.

Summer 1982 From Mono Herald newspaper report:

Packer nightmare: eight-day journey has happy ending. "No, I've never been backpacking before," Rozalynne Roellen of Torrance told the Mono Herald Sunday at noon.

Search and rescue expert John Ellsworth of June Lake was unloading her from the Fresno CHP helicopter at the June Mt. parking lot.

"But my dad has been fishing the area for 40 years and I've been with him many times. We'd have been all right except for the snow storm that hit us on top of Donahue pass," Roellen explained.

"I hurt, I ache, I've cramps, I can't quite crying," said the pretty sunburned girl who started out with friend George Butte, also of Torrance, on a five-day romp from Tuolumne Meadows to Devil's Postpile that turned into an eight-day snowstorm nightmare.

June Lake's search and rescue team head Deputy Sheriff Ken McClinstock says, "And they'll never know how lucky they are. Ten years ago before our organization was formed with our trained men, equipment and knowledge, they might never have awakened from their nightmare.

Experts liken slogging through knee deep snow as Rozalynne and George were, to wading through dud - inch by inch by inch.

August 1982 From Thank You letter dated September 4, 1982: Injured backpacker. Details not available.

Our son is extremely precious to us and we are most grateful to you all for your fast action on his behalf a week or so ago. Our friend, Bob Fuller and Jon were very impressed by you, your efficiency and skill, they would have been in a very difficult situation if it hadn't been for you all.

Jon is using crutches and his knee is in a splint but it is improving, and he has been having a terriffic time impressing all his buddies with the story of his rescue!

We are enclosing a check as a tangible proof of our appreciation.

Thanks again, Sincerely Bill & Jan Schumann, parents of Jon.

September 2-3, 1982 From newspaper report:

Woman located in Benton. An 84-year-old Bishop woman was located in excellent condition Thursday morning after being missing overnight in the rugged country north of Benton.

Louise Falconer apparently became separated from relatives during an outing Wednesday afternoon. The Mono County Sheriff's Department began searching Wednesday night and the Civil Air Patrol became involved Thursday morning.

A C.A.P. plane spotted the missing woman at about 7:15 a.m. near the abandoned mining camp at Pizona just inside the California-Nevada border, and notified Mono County ground teams of her whereabouts.

A Highway Patrol helicopter transported her out of the area. She had reportedly spent the night in the area without gear but was reported in excellent condition Thursday morning.

In fact, according to Dave Walizer of the Civil Air patrol, she asked authorities to point her in the right direction and said she'd walk out.

Mrs. Falconer was airlifted out of the area in spite of her request.

THANK YOU Louise Falconer and her family wish to thank all of the friends and neighbors who rallied round to bring help during the search and rescue operation on September 2 and 3. The Mono County volunteer Search and Rescue group under John Ellsworth's direction was wonderful. We've never met a finer bunch of young people. Dan Bridger and his partner, Randy, are terrific. We heard that Dan could track a grasshopper over a granit dome and now I believe it! The Sheriff's Deputies and the CHP deserve a very special thanks. We are really grateful to the friends (Harris, Mathews, Garcia and Fogerty) who stood by all night with horses in case they were needed. Bramlettes and Fergusons brought food, blankets and - best of all - moral support.

We are a very fortunate family and thank you all.

September 13, 1982 From Thank You Letter: Hoover Lakes Wilderness - Injured backpacker. Details not available.

I am writing to extend my sincerest thanks for the superb handling of the search and rescue effort in the Hoover Lakes Wilderness area on September 13, 1982. The assistance of the entire team was most appreciated, not only by Vicki and myslelf but our entire party. Your efficiency and concern was a welcome response in a difficult situation. Please extend our deepest appreciation to the entire team, some of who Vicki and I didn't get to thank personally. Your kindness and concern certainly restored my faith in mankind. Again, Thank you. Sincerely, Mary Jo Johnston.

1982 From newspaper report:

Successful Yosemite search. June Lake and Mammoth Search and Rescue teams headed to Yosemite to assist in the hunt for a San Franciso man missing since Sunday. Lisa Dapprich of the Yosemite Public Information Office said Dan Celidonio, 37, was found about 11:30 Tuesday morning in the Hart Lake area. He had been hiking with a friend at the 8800 ft. level, with the two men planning to take separate routes for a mile-long day hike. They planned to meet at Hart Lake but Celidonio never showed up.

The man was wearing only light clothing and had no cold weather gear or food with him but when he was found he was said to be in good condition and had not suffered frostbite. He was able to walk to the top of a ridge where he was airlifted out by a Park Service helicopter. In all, 30 people, including Mammoth, June Lake, Sierra Madrew and Tuolumne county rescue teams plus the Woolf Search Dog team from Lake Tahoe participated in the search.

1982 From newspaper report:

Missing hunters found safe. Two Bishop residents were located in good condition Sunday after they had been reported overdue while on a hunting trip in the Benton area.

Deputy Ken McClintock of the Mono Sheriff's office says Richard Huff, 25, and Johathan Frankson, 13, both of Bishop, were found by members of the June Lake Search and Rescue team Sunday afternoon.

The pair had been hunting in the River Springs-Adobe Valley area and were supposed to have returned Saturday afternoon. When they hadn't shown up by Sunday morning they were reported missing and the search began. Both hunters were in good shape when found, McClintock said, it had merely taken them longer to hike out than they thought.