Two handwritten notes, each weighed down with rocks, played a crucial role in the rescue of a mother and her 9-year-old son who were stranded for over 24 hours in the remote Sierra Nevada mountains.
According to a Facebook post from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, the pair had left the Sacramento area around 1:30 p.m. on July 11, headed to Camp Wolfeboro, a Boy Scout camp off Highway 4. When they failed to return and could not be reached by phone, a missing persons report was filed, prompting deputies and a search and rescue team to begin looking for them.
By coincidence, the Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue Team was conducting a monthly training session nearby at a reservoir when the alert came in. The team quickly launched a road-based search around 1:20 p.m. on July 12.
A breakthrough came when campers sent a 911 text message, reporting they had seen a vehicle the day before that matched the missing family’s description. Later that day, around 5:40 p.m., searchers discovered a handwritten note at a Forest Service road junction.
“HELP. Me and my son are stranded with no service and can’t call 911. We are ahead, up the road to the right. Please call 911 to get help for us. Thank you!”
Shortly afterward, a second note was found further along the road:
“HELP. Me and my son are stranded up the road to the right. Please get help for us. Follow the strips of brown sheet. Thank you.”
Searchers followed the trail of brown fabric strips and eventually located the mother and son near their disabled vehicle. Using recovery tools, the team freed the vehicle and guided the pair safely back to the command post.
In its post, the sheriff’s office praised the mother and son for their preparedness and quick thinking, noting that their actions significantly contributed to the positive outcome. Along with leaving clear messages and marking their path, the boy also used a whistle to signal distress—blowing three short blasts, the recognized international call for help.
“Critical to the successful outcome was their pre-trip planning,” the sheriff’s office emphasized, “including telling someone where they were going and when to expect them back.”
Thanks to their resourcefulness and survival knowledge, both the mother and son were rescued safely without injury.
