Search Underway for Snowbound Family in Oregon UPDATED

UPDATE: The family missing in deep snow in rural Yamhill County has been located.

Family was lost 15 miles west of McMinnville.

(MCMINNVILLE, Ore.) - UPDATE:
The family missing in deep snow in rural Yamhill County has been located.

Though radio communications are still difficult: Yamhill County Sheriff Jack Crabtree confirms that the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office Search And Rescue has located and freed the family, which is now enroute off of the mountain.

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit is engaged in a search for a family missing in rural Yamhill County.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. today a man placed a 911 call to Yamhill County authorities. The caller stated that he, his wife and their 10-month old child had driven into the coastal mountain range in their four wheel drive vehicle on Sunday. The caller said the vehicle became stuck in the snow as night fell.

After unsuccessful attempts to extricate the vehicle today, the man walked out of the mountains to a point where he had cellular phone service.

According to Yamhill County Sheriff Jack Crabtree, the area from which the man called is at approximately 1,500' in elevation, 15 miles west of McMinnville.

"There is approximately 4' of snow in the area, and it is snowing heavily this evening," Crabtree said.

Sheriff Crabtree has activated multiple pieces of equipment and search teams.

More information will be released throughout the evening as it becomes available. In any event, an updated release will be sent out by 9:00 p.m.

Source: Yamhill County Sheriff's office