This story, which for a time was considered heroic, can with full justification be called a hymn to human stubbornness, irresponsibility, and foolishness.
A family trip
In December 1992, a married couple together with their five-month-old son Clayton set off on a long journey. Jim was hurrying to the funeral of his beloved grandmother, and his decision was supported by his wife. Although all the relatives considered this trip reckless. Especially since the radio had repeatedly warned of snowstorms raging on the pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The 1,600 km journey seemed to the newlyweds like an easy stroll. And they were sure that in a day or two they would calmly, without incident, cover this distance. However, nature always acts by its own rules.
Already on the road, Jim and Jennifer noticed the leaden clouds bearing down on them. This did not alarm them in the slightest – and the newlyweds, with their former carelessness, continued on their way.
The snowstorm
The snowstorm came unexpectedly: in a few minutes a strong wind plunged the hapless travelers into a white murk. It became impossible to drive the car. Thick snow piled up in heaps on the roof and the windows of the car and became an insurmountable barrier. Another problem would be added to this one. Jim Stolpa, to his dismay, began to realize that they had lost their way. Only later would it become clear where the car had gotten stuck. The young couple had found themselves in the middle of a national reserve, which was usually closed for the winter. For Jim, Jennifer, and their tiny infant, it became a genuine deadly trap.
And in this dramatic situation, the results of the couple's carelessness would suddenly reveal themselves. As it turned out, they had no warm clothing on hand. They had not even taken a supply of necessary food for the road. A few sandwiches and coffee – that was all the food, calculated for a short trip.
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Trapped for four days
Jim and Jennifer Stolpa sat it out in the car for four days, hoping in vain for outside help. Meanwhile, the food supplies ran out and difficulties arose with breastfeeding the baby. From the encroaching hunger, Jennifer's milk began to dry up. The couple even wrote a suicide note.
And Jim made the decision to get out of the snow trap and reach the first settlement at any cost. Unfortunately, they did not walk far. Jennifer ran out of strength, and the crying, hungry child nearly drove her to madness. Jim found shelter for the family – a small cave – and set off for help alone. Jennifer remained in utter despair and was convinced that she and her son were destined to perish in this accursed place.
The newlyweds' relatives raised the alarm on the third day after the disappearance of the couple with the infant. They mobilized the police and rescue services. Alas, the search for the missing couple was hampered by snowstorms and enormous drifts on the roads.
The rescue
Jim Stolpa, sinking into the snow, doggedly pushed his way toward people. He hurried with all his might, fearing that his wife and son might freeze in their stone shelter. And he was fantastically lucky! On the road he met a truck. The driver, without delay, took Jim to the nearest settlement.
When the rescuers found Jennifer and her son, they were utterly amazed. The baby was sleeping quietly in his mother's arms and was completely healthy.
This dramatic story with a happy ending taught the couple a great deal. They realized for the first time how precious human life is, and how it must be cherished. And it can be said that Jim and Jennifer got off lightly, having spent several days trapped in the snow. But the doctors had to amputate the couple's frostbitten toes.
In 1994 the film «Lost in the Snow: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story» was released. The film's director, Christian Duguay, recreated on screen quite vividly and convincingly the dramatic events that befell the couple.
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