Snowboarders live after burrowing in

Two snowboarders lost in the mountains near Santa Fe were rescued by helicopter after searchers spotted their SOS stamped into the snow. They had endured three frigid nights holed up in snow caves that were credited with saving their lives.

Adam Putnam, 36, an emergency-room physician and an experienced winter camper, and his fiancee, Rachel Fehl, 30, a nurse, suffered some cold toes and mild dehydration but were otherwise OK.

The two had a shovel with them to dig snow caves, said Peter Olson, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety. “Snow caves do work. They do save lives, and in this case I think it was the difference for them.”