GRANITE, Ore. — Don’t trust smart phone apps when it comes to navigating through winter weather, a sheriff in rural Oregon warns.

A closed freeway in Baker County, snowy conditions on secondary roads in Grant County, and the use of Apple Maps, led to two vehicles being stranded west of Granite on the evening of Dec. 11, according to Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley.

The Grant County Emergency Communication Center received two different “text to 911” messages starting at 5:29 p.m. reporting a stranded motorist on Forest Road 73, he said.

The 73 road begins in Baker County, accesses the Anthony Lakes and Ski Lodge, and continues to Granite, McKinley said. It also connects with Forest Road 52, which continues to Ukiah, he said.

“These roads appear as suggestions as routes on Apple Maps, and to the unsuspecting traveler, can lead to a long night, or worse,” McKinley said.

Despite a large reader board for motorists at the intersection of the Sumpter Road and Highway 7 in Baker County warning of no winter exit, multiple vehicles chose this alternate route last night, McKinley said.

Due to winter conditions and freezing fog in the Baker City area, tow trucks were delayed in responding to the Granite area, according to the sheriff.

The three stranded travelers in two vehicles on the south end of the 73 road were assisted by the Grant County sheriff, and then led from the area back to Highway 26 and John Day for the night, arriving near 11 p.m., McKinley said.

One motorist was from Florida, relocating to a military base near Seattle, and the other two were from Texas, relocating to Seattle for work, he said. The motorists had used the same Apple Maps app, McKinley said.

The Grant County Road Department and U.S. Forest Service were contacted to get signage in place to prevent further issues on the remote stretch of road, he said.

“Please, when traveling, stay to well-defined roads, and do not venture onto the by-ways as it could lead to potentially fatal results,” McKinley said.

Kay Steele, who lives in Ritter, told the Eagle on Tuesday, “where we live, it is not uncommon for people to trust GPS and other maps only to end up miles from where they intended to go.”

“We are always warning delivery vans not to take shortcuts or trust GPS directions,” she said.