Two brothers stranded overnight near ice caves are rescued

Two brothers who were stranded overnight near the Big Four Ice Caves by Granite Falls have been rescued, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said.

This morning, rescue workers from Snohomish, King and Skagit counties, as well as sheriff's deputies, worked to help the men, ages 37 and 19, of Marysville, who had been stranded while climbing Monday.

"It's probably not a stretch to say the men are cold and tired," said sheriff's office spokeswoman Rebecca Hover in a note to reporters. The men were not injured.

Rescue workers were able to make voice contact with the men yesterday evening, after people heard the brothers yelling and called for help, according to Hover. Rescuers also used handheld thermal devices to pinpoint the location of the men.

About seven rescue workers spent the night near the scene, but the team waited till daylight today to continue the rescue efforts, the sheriff's office said.

The rescue was done by King County's helicopter Guardian One. Workers on the ground directed it to the right location and used the helicopter's hoist to bring the two men inside the helicopter.

Deputies said the men were not experienced climbers and were not dressed for a climbing trip.