Deshka rescue successful

TALKEETNA -- The search for a lost snowmachiner on the Deshka River was looking grim as it wore into its third day on Tuesday.

John "Cliff" Gilcrease had been missing for almost three days, and the Alaska State Troopers and volunteers searching for him were increasingly worried that the results of their search wouldn't be positive. However, late Tuesday afternoon, an improbable rescue brought a happy end to a story that could have easily turned grim.

Gilcrease, 26, of Anchorage, after telling friends that he would meet them at Northwood Lodge near Fish Lake Creek northwest of Deshka Landing, set out along the 55-mile route at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Nine hours later, however, he was nowhere to be found.

At about 10 that night, his friends phoned the troopers and said Gilcrease hadn't reached the cabin and hadn't been seen on the trail. The troopers responded quickly with their helicopter, Helo-1, and the friends themselves combed the area that night. However, as darkness fell on the Deshka, it became apparent that the search for Gilcrease was not going to be concluded so easily.

Monday, the search intensified, with Helo-1, three ground teams, and an airplane scouring the area for the missing man. A substantial area southwest of Willow was covered by the searchers. Despite the efforts of skilled troopers and even the family and friends of Gilcrease, however, he remained missing at the end of the day.

What troopers did find, however, was an ominous patch of open water in the middle of the trail that Gilcrease was supposed to have followed. The 20-foot deep water and strong currents in the Deshka, troopers said, could easily have swallowed up Gilcrease without a trace.

"The problem with this time of year is that things freeze and melt so quickly," said Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the troopers, Tuesday. "He could be anywhere."

Fearing the worst, troopers sent for the Mat-Su Dive Team to search for evidence of Gilcrease's demise. On Tuesday, dive team members armed with a video camera searched the bottom of the Deshka, but were stymied by mud and murky water. Troopers searched several other areas of open water near the trail without result. As the afternoon wore on, hope of finding Gilcrease alive waned.

The situation was compounded by the possible risk being ventured by the rescuers themselves on the treacherous, melting river.

"We're getting concerned about running snowmobiles up and down on this river," said Sergeant Rodney Johnson with the troopers Tuesday.

The dive team was also at risk in dealing with the temperamental river.

"We don't want to jeopardize members of the Mat-Su Dive Team just to look for a body," said Wilkinson.

However, at 4:15 p.m., an airplane flying low near the confluence of the Yentna and Kahiltna Rivers caught sight of a man standing on the Kahiltna waving his arms in a universally-recognized gesture of distress. It was Gilcrease who, after being picked up minutes later by Helo-1, said he had taken a wrong turn Sunday afternoon and become stranded when his snowmobile got stuck. Fortunately, he found a private cabin on the Kahiltna and was able to stay there safely while awaiting rescue.

"He did the smart thing," said Wilkinson. "He looked for shelter right away instead of wandering around for days."

Trooper John Ostoj, who was on the Deshka when Gilcrease was rescued, stated the man had wound up about 15 miles from where he had intended to go. A wrong turn sent him into a deep slough, which he followed for 5 or 6 miles before reaching the tree line, whereupon the snowmobile became stuck. Gilcrease later walked down to the Kahiltna.

Gilcrease was reported to be in fine condition upon his rescue, with no serious injuries or ailments.

Such an eleventh-hour rescue is a rare occurrence in these cases -- all too rare by Wilkinson's estimation.

"These sort of things don't happen very often, but we're really happy when they do," he said.

The troopers would like to thank not only the many volunteers who aided in the search, but also the Deshka River Landing for agreeing to act as the headquarters for the search operation and allowing the rescue teams use of their facilities.

Contact Daniel Spoth at daniel.spoth@frontiersman.com.