A pair of travelers had to be rescued by first responders on Monday after they attempted to drive from Cody to Cooke City, Montana, through the still-snowed-in Beartooth Highway.

The 60-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman traveled past a road closure sign before getting stuck in snow, the Park County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Friday.

The sheriff’s office got a call about the stranded motorists just after 8 p.m. and personnel from Park County Search and Rescue, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Land Management all responded to the scene. In the end, the man and woman were safely returned to Cody and their Volvo XC90 was retrieved by a tow company.

However, the sheriff’s office said the incident could have ended much worse. Charla Torczon, a spokeswoman for the office, noted that cellphone service can be spotty in the county’s remote areas and GPS mapping services don’t always account for seasonal closures or weather conditions.

Search and Rescue Coordinator Bill Brown reminded everyone — including current and future visitors to the county — of the importance of obeying all traffic control devices.

“Traffic control devices, even the temporary ones, are in place for safety purposes and should not be disregarded for any reason,” Brown said in a statement, “especially a ROAD CLOSED sign.”

In this case, the man and woman passed a closure sign at the Pilot Creek area on the Beartooth Highway. Park County crews plow as far west as the Pilot Creek snowmobile staging area, but the final 8 miles to Cooke City are not maintained in the winter. The release from the sheriff’s office indicates that Monday’s travelers made it about 3 miles up the road before getting stuck in snow.

“One of the great features of our beloved state are the remote and open areas that are astounding to experience. However, part of that experience requires research and responsibility,” Torczon said, adding, “Being prepared and vigilant is always important.”

The route from Cooke City to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is usually cleared for wheeled vehicles in early to mid May. According to the National Park Service, this year’s opening date is tentatively set for Sunday, May 13.