Guard chopper rescues lost snowboarder

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) - A missing snowboarder survived nearly 18 hours in frigid temperatures before rescuers plucked him off the mountains near ski Santa Fe area this morning.

Jason Pinney, 27, told KRQE News 13 he was with a couple of other snowboarders when he got lost Thursday just before Ski Santa Fe closed.

New Mexico State Police launched a ground search for Pinney around 6 p.m., and early Friday morning began hunting from the air by helicopter.

Within 20 minutes the air crew spotted Pinney nearly 2 miles from the ski basin and far from any groomed runs. However the police chopper couldn't land in the area, so the New Mexico Army National Guard was called in.

Just before 10 a.m. the Guard chopper landed and Pinney was able to walk his way to the rescuers. The temperature at the time was reported to be -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pinney told News 13 he tried calling out for help when he knew he was in trouble Thursday and even found a trail although it just lead him farther away from the ski basin.

"So pretty much I hiked until it got dark," Pinney said. "Then I found a nice tree that gave me cover, and I just dug a hole under that tree.

"I just broke a bunch of branches off to just layer the ground so I wouldn't be laying on snow."

He says other than his feet being cold he was OK overnight.

Friday morning he again tried to hike in search of a trail out, and that's when State Police spotted him.

Pinney, originally from Texas, now lives in Albuquerque.

This was the first mission for the State Police's new helicopter bought to replace the craft that crashed in the same mountains during a rescue mission last year. That crash killed the police pilot and a rescued hiker and seriously injured a second officer.