Oregon family found stranded in snow

Summary

Mark Shaver, 43, of Eagle Creek, failed to return with the children - ages 3 to 14 - by Saturday and was reported missing near Breitenbush Lake.

Story Created: Nov 9, 2009 at 1:00 PM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 9, 2009 at 1:00 PM MDT

Photo courtesy Marion County Sheriff's Office

Photo courtesy Marion County Sheriff's Office

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon man and his seven children were found safe Sunday after being stranded by snow during a camping trip.

Mark Shaver, 43, of Eagle Creek, failed to return with the children - ages 3 to 14 - by Saturday and was reported missing near Breitenbush Lake. A rescue team on snowmobiles began searching Saturday, but called off their search that night.

Rescuers reached the family early Sunday.

At least 16 inches of snow had fallen in the area, and Shaver's Astro van became stuck when he tried to drive out. The sheriff's office says Shaver had extensive survival training and frequently camps with his children.

"They were camping near the lake. But as the snow came in and they tried to get out, they couldn't," said Lt. Sheila Lorance, a spokeswoman for the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

It's not unusual for Shaver to take the entire family camping, said his sister-in-law Sarah Schlamp.

"He camps a lot with the older ones and the younger ones always want to go too," Schlamp said Sunday afternoon. "I know he's taken them all before."

The family left Tuesday, and relatives didn't begin to worry until the snow got heavy on Saturday, with no sign of Shaver and the kids.

"I don't think anyone was nervous until we saw what the weather had done and then it was like, 'Oh no,"' Schlamp said.

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