Volunteer searchers found and helped rescue a couple Wednesday who got stuck in the snow near Greenwater during a target shooting trip.

Jaydn Noakes and Garian Reynolds told a family member they’d be out Tuesday on a forest service road just east of Greenwater, and that they would be home by dark, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. But they didn’t return that night, and their family was unable to reach the couple.

Pierce County deputies searched the area that night but could not find them. The sheriff’s department posted a missing persons alert asking for the public to report any information about the couple.

On Wednesday, the sheriff’s department reported at 3:25 p.m. yesterday that volunteer searchers had found the couple stuck in the snow. The volunteers pulled their truck out and Noakes and Reynolds were soon on their way.

In a comment under the Sheriff’s Department post about the search, a woman by Noakes’ name thanked the sheriff’s department and the volunteers who helped find and rescue her and Reynolds.

“We are okay!!” she wrote. “No injuries, no frost bite, no damage to the vehicle!”

It’s a good thing Noakes and Reynolds told their family where they were going and when they planned to be back, Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Darren Moss said. It’s one of the key pieces of advice that outdoor safety experts recommend for people going hiking, hunting, camping or otherwise enjoying the great outdoors.

The Washington Trail Association recommends these “10 essentials” for those going outdoors.

1. Navigation — such as a detailed map and a compass. A GPS unit can be helpful too, but physical maps don’t run out of batteries.

2. Hydration — even in the winter.

3. Nutrition — at least an extra day’s worth of food.

4. Rain gear and insulation — wool and poly blends are better than cotton.

5. Firestarter — along with some easy kindling, like a candle or ball of compressed wood.

6. A first aid kit — and make sure you know how to use it.

7. Tools — knives, multitools, and duct tape are great to start.

8. Light — don’t forget spare batteries.

9. Sun protection — sunglasses and sunscreen.

10. Shelter — such as an emergency tarp or a few spare blankets.