Manitoba snowmobilers survive 26-hour ordeal in blizzard
Two Manitoba snowmobilers say they never gave up hope after they were stranded for 26 hours in a blizzard during an ordeal that began near Lake of the Woods and ended in Minnesota last week.
Danny McLachlan and his girlfriend, LeandraMardynalka, went ice fishing with another couple on the lake Jan. 26.
But the 20-year-old snowmobilers — along with Torque, their 1.4-kilogram Pomeranian — got lost in blowing snow as they were driving their snowmobile back to their cars.
"When we left, it was bad but it wasn't terrible. I thought for sure we could still make it there no problem and I'd be able to find my tracks on the way back," McLachlan said.
"But just as soon as we started driving, then boom, it just got real bad and couldn't see nothing."
After driving for more than an hour, the Steinbach couple's snowmobile ran out of fuel.
"I have to admit, when we were on the ice, starting to run out of fuel, that was my breakdown moment. I got off the snowmobile, I just started crying," said McLachlan.
"I completely lost my composure, and Leandra looked over at me and she said, 'You know what? That's not going to get us anywhere. We got to stay calm, stay focused and figure out what we're going to do.'"
They started a fire, and McLachlan said he eventually heard the sound of another snowmobile and followed it all the way to Roosevelt, Minnesota, where he called for help.
McLachlan was admitted to hospital and treated for frostbite to his feet, but he said he's otherwise doing OK.
