Two hikers called Squaw security on Thu afternoon and left a message indicating they were lost in Shirley Canyon. Emergency dispatch was able to call them back and obtain some visual landmarks indicating they were near the top of the canyon, but then the missing party's cell phone batteries died and communication was lost. TNSAR was dispatched at 6:45PM, with 4 members meeting at Squaw and a fifth arriving mid-search.

Two searchers on foot were able to hitch a ride to the top of Squaw via snowcat, with the intention of searching around Shirley Lake and then proceeding down canyon. Meanwhile a second team of two made their way up Shirley Canyon on ATVs.

Shortly after the being forced to dismount and continue on foot, the ATV searchers made voice contact with the subjects, who had been slowly working their way down the canyon without headlamps. As the ATV team escorted the subjects out, the foot team enjoyed a warm snowcat ride back down the mountain.

In a storybook ending not often seen on TNSAR searches, everyone made it home well before bedtime.