The Arrowhead Queen was listing badly on March 1 due to the weight of the snow.

Pablo Tello was one of two men who managed to clear the snow from the Queen and save it from sinking.

By Mary-Justine Lanyon

On March 1, On the Mountain Marine & Storage posted on Facebook that they had received a call asking them to respond to Lake Arrowhead Village to save the Arrowhead Queen.

The tour boat was listing and taking on water.

“Unfortunately,” they posted, “none of our crew members can even get off their streets.”

The post went on to say that, with the weight of the snow, the bilge pump was not working. “The fact it’s listing away from the dock creates a highly dangerous situation. If someone responds and attempts to clear the lighter dock side, it will cause her to be more off balance and likely capsize.

“The other, more dangerous, option is to climb aboard and place yourself on the heavier side to try to relieve the snow weight. However, the weight of yourself and you moving around will cause her to list more, taking on more water, leading to an even higher risk of capsizing.

“This is a highly dangerous situation.”

That danger did not deter Pablo Tello and Jose Vaquez, who climbed aboard the Arrowhead Queen, shoveled off the snow and brought her back upright.

Tello is the owner of two businesses in Lake Arrowhead Village: Victory Tae Kwon Do and the Village Ice Cream and Sweet Shoppe.

During a meeting of community volunteers on March 2, Anela Tello said her husband, Pablo, had been out plowing snow since Day 1. At that meeting, the consensus was the #1 priority in the storm’s aftermath is clearing the roads to give residents local access.