Blake DeBok discovered nine wild horses stranded and starving in deep snow near Mammoth Lakes after heavy Christmas storms dumped five feet of snow, leaving many horses trapped without food or water for weeks. The U.S. Forest Service rescued 24 horses, but several died or were euthanized due to extreme emaciation and poor health. The rescue involved cutting trails through snow and carefully loading the weak, untrained horses into trailers for transport to rehabilitation facilities, where recovery could take up to 10 months. DeBok’s online posts helped prompt the rescue after initial difficulties in reaching authorities.
The incident has sparked controversy over the management of the Montgomery Pass wild horse herd, which federal officials say exceeds the land’s capacity, prompting plans to round up and remove hundreds of horses—a move challenged in court and currently paused. Local Native American tribes have been involved in caring for the deceased horses and seek a role in managing the herd, opposing the roundup plan. While some praise the Forest Service’s rescue efforts, others call for greater transparency and debate the best approach to protecting these iconic animals amid complex ecological and political challenges.
