Surviving the Wilderness: Dorothy LeMasurier’s Harrowing 19-Day Ordeal in Wyoming
On May 11, 1957, Dorothy LeMasurier, a Duluth, Minnesota, community figure, boarded a twin-engine Beechcraft piloted by her husband, Dalton, for what was expected to be a routine flight, Oil City News reports.
The couple, well-known in their hometown, had shared many adventures together over the years. Dalton, an accomplished amateur pilot and founder of Duluth’s KDAL radio and television stations, had navigated countless skies.
But this journey took a tragic turn. Flying from Salt Lake City to Rapid City, the LeMasuriers encountered severe weather near Rawlins, Wyoming. Despite warnings about storms, their plane lost control and crashed into the rugged Ferris Mountains.
As the Beechcraft descended rapidly, Dalton’s calm yet dire warning to Dorothy, “Hang on darling, we’re going to crash,” marked the beginning of their ordeal. The impact was catastrophic: the plane lost an engine, a wing, and caught fire. Dalton and Dorothy escaped with minor injuries, but the explosion destroyed their supplies and radio equipment, leaving them stranded without communication.
Rescue efforts began immediately, with search parties involving the Air National Guard and local volunteers scouring the area. Yet the mountainous terrain and poor weather hampered the mission, and days turned into weeks without success.
On the mountain, the LeMasuriers salvaged what they could from the wreckage, using a parachute and wire for shelter and melting snow for water. Their only sustenance came from bits of candy and protein pills. Despite the freezing conditions and relentless snow, Dalton and Dorothy clung to each other, sharing memories and finding solace in their bond.
“We just talked about two green kids getting started in radio, two green kids in some other business, and two green kids coming up,” Dorothy later recounted. “Finally, we decided we wouldn’t change any of it.”
After five days, Dalton succumbed to his injuries, likely from a head wound sustained during the crash. Alone and grieving, Dorothy pressed on, determined to see her children again. She tracked time by winding Dalton’s watch daily and marking days on a tree with lipstick.
Nineteen days after the crash, when all hope seemed lost, a ranch foreman named Jack Putnam followed a hunch and rode up the Ferris Mountains on horseback. Spotting the wreckage, he alerted a rescue team. As the rescuers approached, they heard an unexpected sound: Dorothy’s faint cry for help.
Malnourished and sunburned but alive, Dorothy was saved. Her resilience and survival astonished the rescuers and the nation.
Dorothy recovered fully and took her husband’s place at KDAL, continuing his legacy before selling the properties years later. She honored Dalton’s memory by placing roses on his grave—a tradition they had cherished throughout their marriage.
Despite the ordeal, Dorothy maintained her love of flying and expressed a desire to revisit Wyoming to thank those who had helped her. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 84, leaving behind a large family and a legacy of strength and determination.
