*** Twin Searches at Sitka, Alaska! ***

Fri Jul  7 15:26:55 1995
Letter  : 5222356    From: Bruce Bowler
Address : bruce_bowler@jhqmac.dot.state.ak.us
Subject : Re: Sitka Search

Sitka, Alaska:  19 year old Mike Bizon (long "i"), 2 weeks
away from going to Army Basic Training, decided to do a
fairwell back-country overnight on Mount Verstovia behind
Sitka. Helicoptering in to the 2500' level, he planned to
contour around the peaks and hike out along one of two
trails the next day. Carrying a sleeping bag, stove,
food, a .44 and gear (but no signals or radio) he built a
rock shelter Friday night above treeline. Saturday the
weather closed in, visibility dropped to ground level, and
the horizon went away. Trying to find his way out, Mike
tumbled into a 100' deep ravine and was knocked
unconscious.

Saturday afternoon when he didn't return, his family, who
are members of Sitka Fire Department Search and Rescue,
instituted a 6 person hasty search. Sunday a request for
assistance was sent to Alaska State Troopers in Juneau, and
an 8 man team of Civil Air Patrol cadets, one of "SEADOGS"
k-9 search teams, and a Mountain Rescue-trained Trooper
flew to Sitka. Mike's campsite and several footprints were
found, but 1000' cliffs, slick rock ledges, and
"hand-in-front-of-your-face" visibility limited air and
ground operations.

Later that afternoon, 16 year old Jeb McCloud, trying to
find a better fishing spot on Blue Lake, tried to cross the
east face of Mt. Verstovia and became the second victim of
the day. The US Coast Guard Helicopter flew the Juneau
Trooper and Sitka Fire personnel to a point several hundred
feet above the boy's position, and lowered them by cable to
a small knoll. The rescue team rapelled 400 feet down to
the boy, tied him into a safety harness, and lowered him
150 feet to a Fire Department boat on the lake.

Mike Bizon, slowly regaining consciousness, watched the
operation less than 100 yards away, but was unable to
signal or callout to the rescuers. Both legs hurt, and
still not totally conscious, he spent another night in the
ravine.

During the next 4 days, Mike dragged himself out of the
ravine ahead of searchers, and with the help of fog and low
clouds, managed to move from his point of injury (which
searchers had not reached) to terrain which had already
been searched. On day 6 of the search, frustrated by poor
visibility and dangerous terrain,  Mike finally made his
way down slope to a trail, ran into 2 Coast Guard wives out
for a hike, and asked if he could borrow their Marine Band
portable radio to call home.  Mike will be teaching
"Escape, Evasion, and Mountain Survival" immediately
following Army Basic Training.

- Bruce Bowler, SEADOGS, Juneau, Alaska

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