Snowdrift (Jan 03/05) - Good planning and safety precautions allowed two men lost on the land for four days to walk away from their ordeal unscathed, except for some frostbite.

Paul Abel and Dennis Drygeese were spotted on Seton Island, halfway between Yellowknife and Lutsel K'e, by a 440 Squadron Twin Otter search and rescue patrol at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The men had been reported missing Christmas Day.

Volunteers from Lutsel K'e involved in the ground search were sent to the scene, and found both men alive and uninjured. The two were transported to the hamlet via snowmobile.

"They were in good condition," said Const. Claire McLean of the Lutsel K'e RCMP.

Setting out from Yellowknife Dec. 23 to visit relatives in Lutsel K'e for Christmas, the men had informed relatives of their travel route and an anticipated arrival time.

After encountering bad weather along the way, they took a wrong turn and became lost.

With a toboggan full of caribou, blankets and ample food and clothes, the duo decided to stay put and wait for help to arrive.

The toboggan doubled as a shelter and a fire kept the men warm and alive.

"They did the proper thing. They waited and they left a plan with somebody and a time line," said Const. Kerri Riehl of the Yellowknife RCMP.

When the men hadn't arrived in the hamlet after the usual five to seven hours required for the trip, family members began the search by driving the path to Yellowknife.

It's common for travellers to temporarily break down or become stranded on the unmarked trail between Yellowknife and Lutsel K'e, explained McLean.

"Overdue travellers are a regular occurrence," she said.

"This is the first one since I've been here that they were actually lost.

"They didn't know where they were. They didn't know what island they were on."

By Christmas Day, family members in Lutsel K'e were concerned and called the police.

"We started on the 25th with a small search party," said McLean.

An RCMP plane was dispatched from Yellowknife to aid in the search.

By Boxing Day, nine volunteers from the hamlet and the 440 Squadron had joined in the effort.

"Once it was aware in the community these guys were missing, people didn't hesitate to come out and help even though it was Christmas," McLean said. "It was amazing."

Ground searchers split into parties of three, two groups heading off in the direction of Murky Lake, the other towards Yellowknife.

The 440 Squadron took responsibility for the aerial search effort, which eventually located the men.