Last Monday’s blizzard dropped about two-feet of snow in the Berkshires and winds in excess of 50mph were reported across the state. Warm and comfortable in bed, Brian Janik, president of the Adams Sno-Drifters Snowmobile Club, got a wake-up call at 5:30am from the local emergency dispatch. Two hikers were in trouble atop Mount Greylock and the storm had made access nearly impossible. Brian and his father Ed Janik headed out into the blizzard to get the club’s Sno-Cat. The town had to plow a few roads before they could even reach the base of the mountain where the machine was parked.
Once the groomer was underway, the pair drove about 2-3 miles up some of the steeper sections of the mountain and located the two New Jersey men at 7:30am on the Thunderbolt Trail. “They were not fair-weather hikers.” said Brian, “They were well equipped for poor conditions but the high winds blew their tent apart and it filled with snow. They got wet and cold, and were in trouble.”
The club has always made themselves available to assist in emergencies and has done so on several occasions in the past. The two hikers were “happy to get off the mountain,” said Brian. “It was nice we were able to help.”
The Berkshire Eagle published a story about the rescue. (The photo above is a file shot of the 1964 Sno-Cat that was used in the rescue.)
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