Long night for Cook County Search and Rescue

Last Friday night, October 6, citizens in the Colvill and Hovland areas were curious about all-terrain vehicles traveling the roadways late into the night. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has released details about all the traffic. It was part of a successful Cook County Search and Rescue effort.

There was confusion at first about the location of the missing party. Ashley Solem, 38, from Minneapolis made the first 9-1-1 call at 7:23 p.m. reporting that her husband, Shawn Solem, also 38, had gone off to get firewood and had not returned.
Before a clear location could be determined, the woman’s cell phone died. A digital search for her cell phone showed that she was at the Pincushion Mountain overlook. Searchers began looking for the lost man there.

A Law Enforcement dispatcher was able to reach a family member, who said the couple was hiking together with a small dog. They did have camping gear and planned to take a two-day hike.

Family members said the couple had taken a shuttle to Kadunce River to hike, so Search and Rescue personnel moved there to continue the search. They traveled to  Durfee Creek, Crow Creek, and Kadunce campsites.

Searchers finally made contact with the missing parties just before 2 a.m. They were together and doing fine. Ashley Solem confirmed she had called 9-1-1 for help and then her phone died so she was unable to call to let responders know that Shawn had returned safely.

It took until 4 a.m. on Saturday for Cook County Sheriff deputies, Search and Rescue members, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Mary Manning to retrieve equipment and clear from the scene.