Rash Snowboarders Test Rescuers’ Patience Two Searches In Two Weeks For Boundary-Ignoring Youths

Searchers and ski patrol members say they’re frustrated and angry by the attitudes of some snowboarders who ignore warnings and venture out-of-bounds at ski areas.

Searchers following tracks into an out-of-bounds wilderness Thursday rescued a Vancouver, Wash., snowboarder who had spent a cold night on Mount Hood. Mark Corriea, 19, was unhurt but said he was hungry.

It was the second search in two weeks for a wayward snowboarder at the Timberline ski resort. Conan Wachsnicht, 20, of Vancouver, Wash., spent four days and three nights on the mountain before he was found.

A ski patrol member said some youths simply ignore boundary markers.

“They call us cops and Nazis for ruining their fun when we do boundary patrols,” said Jeff Livick of the Timberline Pro Patrol. “They just laugh at us.”

Corriea was last seen by a friend about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when he veered out of a snowboard park. Searchers followed his tracks into the Zig Zag Canyon area to the west and below Timberline, finding him about 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Searchers were pleased Wachsnicht and Corriea were found safe but said the reception Wachsnicht received sends the wrong message to young snowboarders and skiers.

Wachsnicht appeared this week on two television talk shows and received free snowboarding gear.

“Other snowboarders see this and think, ‘Hey, that’s pretty cool,’ instead of, ‘Hey, I was stupid for getting lost,”’ said Clackamas County sheriff’s deputy Chris Nolte.

“It made him look like a hero, when really, he’s the village idiot,” Livick said.