Four Seattle-area women have been found and rescued in the Gold Creek Snow Park area of Snoqualmie Pass Monday afternoon. The women were scared, cold and tired, but otherwise well.

The four friends had gone snowshoeing at Snoqualmie Pass around noon Sunday, Dec. 27 and lost their way around 4 p.m. after they left the trail. Marynell Matt of Vashon Island had a cell phone, which the group used to call 9-1-1 at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, and to stay in limited contact with search personnel. However, because of the weak signal, search groups were unable to determine the women’s exact location until today, when Matt told them she could hear running water. The search teams, using snowshoers and snowmobiles, narrowed their search to the creek area, and shortly after 1 p.m., located the women.

They had passed one night in the woods without any severe consequences, but rescuers were anxious to find them before nightfall Monday, since another winter storm was expected to arrive in the evening.

Information is not available on all four of the women, but a second snowshoer has been identified as Venetia Runion of West Seattle.