Stranded Family of Five at Eagle Lake
January 14, 1965
Rescue workers plowed through three miles of snow drifts in blizzard weather to rescue a Susanville family of five trapped for two days in their Eagle Lake cabin. The family, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Royalty and their children, Debbie, 11; Donna, 9, and David, 7, had gone to the cabin last Thursday to spend the weekend.
When the family failed to return Monday a neighbor became concerned and notified Sheriff Ben J. Yeakey, who organized a rescue unit of state forestry workers, Rick Smith, Jack Barber and Milton Bennett.
The four plowed through snowdrifts of up to four feet before they reached the Royalty cabin late yesterday afternoon. The family was down to its last food provisions when rescuers arrived.
Royalty, a correctional officer in the California Conservation Center near Susanville, and his family were taken into Susanville in apparent good health.
Sheriff Yeakey said there are 18 families isolated in the Eagle Lake area but all have provisions.
