The road up to Jewel Basin is full of curves, gravel. and steep slopes. Nonetheless, it’s the only way up to Camp Misery where several trailheads converge including the route up to Mt Aeneas. Last Thursday, a pair from out of state discovered just how dangerous that road can be when their rental car slid down an embankment, landing about 400 feet below.
Turns out both were wearing seatbelts and the airbags deployed, so the trip down the embankment didn’t do them too much harm. Getting out of the crushed vehicle, they began calling for help. Bigfork Fire & Rescue was deployed and the generosity of their non-profit, Friends of Bigfork Fire Department, really paid off. The 350-foot rescue rope they purchased was enough to reach the pair, who suffered only minor injuries, but couldn’t ascend the steep embankment.
It took 2½ hours get bring them back safely up to the roadway. Later, the car was retrieved by Bolsters Towing.
