Hurt man survives weekend in Sierra

Staff Reports

A snowboarder who strayed out of bounds in Bear Valley was rescued and is recovering after spending two nights in the wilderness with several fractures, according to the Alpine County Sheriff's Office.

Lourie Vieira, 42, of Hayward, Calif., went out of bounds at Bear Valley Mountain Resort into what authorities are describing as extremely treacherous and dangerous terrain.

Several small avalanches made it dangerous for searchers to follow Vieira and efforts were suspended until Sunday, according to the sheriff's office.

On Sunday, members of the Bear Valley Search and Rescue team and the Bear Valley Ski Patrol found the missing man, who had fallen off a cliff and suffered fractures and other injuries. Rescuers had to rappel down to Vieira who was next to the Mokelumne River in nearly impassible terrain.

Rescuers could not get him out on Sunday and spent the night with the victim after moving him to higher ground because the river was rising. Temperatures dropped to 30 degrees and it rained and snowed through the night.

On Monday, with the help of a helicopter and a team from Naval Air Station Fallon, Vieira was pulled from the river canyon and flown to a trauma center, according to an Alpine County spokesman.

The Fallon team then returned to the canyon and helped remove the search and rescue team.