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Show Escalante Women Take A Long Short Cut Back Home ESCALANTE A night of milking wild cows just didn't hold enough adventure for two Escalante women. Two Forest Service summer employees took what they thought would be a quick trip from Escalante to Bryce Canyon on Saturday Sat-urday to get cash from an ATM machine at Ruby's Inn. Jo Ann Carter, Cedar City and Brenda Eliason, Elk Ridge, had planned to be back in lime for the evening rodeo in Escalante where they had signed up for the wild cow milking contest. What they got was an even wilder event in real life! On their return trip from Ruby's Inn, the two decided to take a "short cut" through the Citation oil fields and soon became hopelessly disoriented and unable to find their way out. About 2 p.m., their vehicle oil pan sprang a leak and they were forced to slop. They had a half-liter of water which they took with them as they hiked in sandals and shorts for about three hours, hoping to find a road where a car might pass by, but, finding no one, they returned to the car and spent a freezing night without food or blankets. Meanwhile, when they had not returned by 9 p.m., roommate Becky Hemmert began calling family, friends, etc. At 2:30 a.m., after a full day of dealing with local situations, Deputy Sheriff Monte Luker was called in. With the Escalante Search and Rescue (S & R) team joining him, they thoroughly searched all parking areas and side roads between Escalante and Ruby's Inn. It was not until 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning that Donnie Porter and Willie Krause with S & R chanced upon the lost pair in the Canaan Creek area of the oil field. Both women were grateful for everyone's persistence. The two women are members of a fire fighting crew. Carter also marks trees and Eliason works on the wildlife crew. Taking part in the search under S & R Commander Curt Richins were team members Billy Juggert, Ron Cochran, Shawn Coleman, Wayne Stewart and Carter's father, Garth Carter. |