A family of five is safe after getting stuck on Dog Valley Road and Henness Pass. They were traveling from their home in southern California to Truckee. They ended up taking Dog Valley Road, near Verdi, because Interstate 80 was closed.

"Because they weren't familiar with the area, they were using Google Maps to direct them around the traffic closures," Sgt. Joshua Fisher, WCSO Search and Rescue Team said.

The WCSO Search and Rescue Team and Specialized Vehicle Unit located the stuck vehicle about one mile from where the pavement ends. WCSO had 11 calls to rescue people who got stuck on back roads between November 1 and February 28, last winter. Dog Valley Road is a common place for these incidents to happen.

"Most of the time, it's people that are not local," Fisher said. "They're coming to this area. They're tourists. They come here to ski or do what they want to do and then they try to get out of here and end up in areas like this and need help."

The family was driving a rented pick-up truck. It slid off the road and into a snowbank. There are signs in the area that warn drivers that the road does not have access to I-80, is closed and that people should not rely on GPS tools during winter storms.

"I talked to the family and they had just kind of driven right by it, really didn't see the signs," Fisher said.

Instead, they should check road conditions or web-cams to see what the storm is affecting their route.

"You have to be self-aware of where you're going and what conditions you're driving into," Fisher said. "You just can't blindly look at maps and have it direct you."

Volunteers are ready to go when situations like this happen. They have equipment that is suitable for various conditions, including heavy snow.

"They train do do this stuff and they're certified to do the things we ask them to do and they have the equipment to do it," Fisher said.

The family was planning on going skiing, so they had warm clothing, food and water. The truck was also running, so they had heat. Fisher says a lot of people are stranded in Reno because of the road closures, so hotels are filling up. He says they were able to find a hotel for the family to stay in, after they got them off the road around midnight.