6 people stranded in snow while sightseeing
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, amid strong winds and heavy snowfall, temperatures at Chongqing's Hongchiba National Forest Park had dropped to around zero degrees Celsius. The stranded individuals repeatedly called firefighters to report that six people—including two children—were trapped in their vehicle. Due to the extreme cold, some people had lost sensation in the soles of their feet.
Firefighters from the Wuxi Brigade said they received the emergency call at around 12:30 a.m. on the 26th. The exact location of the trapped group was on the Heicaoba Scenic Area road section, which connects Wenfeng Town in Wuxi County to Hongchiba National Forest Park.
When stranded, the driver of the off-road vehicle noticed the wheels were slipping. “The car has four-wheel drive. After the tires started slipping, I got out to check and half of the wheel was already buried in the snow.”
The firefighters urgently instructed the stranded individuals via phone to stay inside the vehicle and not venture outside. They were also advised not to turn off the engine to save fuel but to keep it running.
Rescuers arrived at the scene after 4 hours
Rescuers arrived at the scene after 4 hours
After guiding the stranded individuals through various self-rescue measures over the phone, the firefighters drove an off-road vehicle along with seven officers equipped with snow chains, shovels, safety ropes, and flashlights to the accident site for the rescue mission.
Under the cold night sky, the rescue vehicle sped toward Hongchiba National Forest Park through wind and snow. Upon entering the mountainous switchback roads, the vehicle had to slow down. As the altitude increased, the snow on the road thickened and road conditions grew more treacherous. The rescue vehicle struggled to crawl forward on snow-covered roads as deep as 10 centimeters—any slight misstep could have led to danger.
At around 4 a.m., after nearly four hours of arduous travel, the rescuers finally reached the accident site. At the turnoff entrance of the Heicaoba Scenic Area, they found an off-road vehicle with license plate “Yu AD××75” stuck in the snow.
Interior temperature dropped to minus 7°C
Interior temperature dropped to minus 7°C
Upon seeing the rescuers, the stranded tourists were overjoyed. Amid the fierce wind and snow, the temperature inside the vehicle registered minus 7 degrees Celsius, with over 20 centimeters of snow on the ground. All four tires of the stranded vehicle were deeply buried in the snow, unable to gain traction, and next to them loomed a bottomless cliff.
After assessing the situation, the rescuers immediately sprang into action. First, the firefighters used shovels to clear the snow around the vehicle. Then, they secured one end of a safety rope to the stranded vehicle and the other end to the rescue vehicle. Using the rescue vehicle, they pulled the snow-bound car out while the firefighters pushed from behind.
At around 4:30 a.m., thanks to the firefighters’ efforts, the stranded vehicle slowly drove out of the snow and safely completed a turnaround. The rescue vehicle then led the way, with the rescued vehicle following closely behind, cautiously making their way down the mountain along the thickly iced road.
At around 5:30 a.m., the rescuers successfully guided the stranded vehicle out of the snowy road and brought the tourists to safety. After being rescued, the stranded travelers expressed deep gratitude to the firefighters.
Snow chain preparation is essential for self-drive snow trips
Snow chain preparation is essential for self-drive snow trips
According to Wei, the driver of the stranded vehicle, he and another man surnamed Chi—both close friends from downtown Chongqing—traveled with their wives and children, making a group of six. They drove together to Hongchiba National Forest Park in Wuxi County for a trip.
On the 29th, officials from the Wuxi Fire Brigade informed us that after two days of investigation, the cause of the incident had been determined: Driver Wei had not been aware that the road surface had already frozen before setting off, and thus did not bring any equipment—such as tire chains—to help with traction. Moreover, while trapped in the snow, he became anxious and repeatedly pressed the accelerator, trying to power the off-road vehicle out of the snow, but this only caused the tires to spin and sink deeper.
Firefighters explained that the correct approach when stuck in snow is to first get out and assess the situation, using a shovel to clear snow from in front of the tires. If the vehicle is deeply stuck, placing stones or other objects in front of the tires can increase friction. Additionally, one should avoid driving straight and instead try turning the steering wheel left and right. Avoid flooring the gas pedal and instead accelerate slowly based on the situation.