Missing Boy Scout in the Winds

[Dave]

Heads up if you're headed into the Wind Rivers (info from Sublette County Sheriff's Office):

(Pinedale, Wyo –July 29th, 2018) Active search and rescue mission underway for missing 13 year old boy out of Draper Utah.

At approximately 2pm yesterday July 28th 2018, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a missing hiker near Mary’s Lake in the Wind River Range. Mary’s lake is about 7 miles in from the Elkhart trail head which is 10 miles northeast of Pinedale. 13 year old Garrett Hunter of Draper Utah was one of a 20 member Scout hiking group on a 50 mile planned trip in the area. Garrett is 5’9, 130 pounds has light brown hair and was last seen wearing a blue shirt and grey pants. (See photo attached). Garrett has Asperger’s and may not approach anyone for help due to his condition.

Garrett was separated from his group around 0930 am after the group left the 1000 island lakes area yesterday morning July 28th. The group was ending their 50 mile journey and headed back to the Elkhart trail head via the Pole creek trail. It is unknown when exactly Garrett became separated from the group.
Immediately after the initial call yesterday afternoon, a team consisting of six members of TipTop Search and rescue members along with the Sublette County contracted Helicopter went to the area as part of the initial search. As of dusk last night the search efforts were unsuccessful.
Sunday morning July 29th 2018 search efforts ramped up. 20 TipTop search and rescue members along with assistance from Teton County Search and Rescue, US Forrest service, Bureau of Land Management, WYK9 our of Jackson Hole have deployed to the area. In addition Sunday morning approximately 38 self-deployed volunteers have arrived out of Utah and are self-searching in coordination with TipTop Search and Rescue operations.
Searching operations are still ongoing and more updates will be provided as we get them.

 

[DuneElliot]

Hope he is found, We are heading up to that area but not for another month.

I'd like to know the circumstances of how he got separated...the trails in that area of the WRR are well-defined. No blame at all, just curious, but until he's found I don't think we'll know.

 

[Nick]

 

[Dave]

Just heard volunteers found him. They're camping tonight and will bring him out in the morning.

 

[Nick]

Fantastic!

 

[Perry]

Phew! Thanks for the good news update!


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[WasatchWill]

Yes!...always nice to have a happy ending to a search effort to balance out the more tragic ones. That said...what is a 20 member group doing in a wilderness area? Another good reason for the typical group size limit of 14. I'd venture to say it's just a little easier on leaders to keep track of numbers when in smaller groups, though I acknowledge, even with every precaution is taken in these situations, bad things can still happen.

 

[OldBill]

Great news! He might have been at the end of the group and let the others get too far ahead. The timing and starting location suggests that turning on the Monument Creek cutoff may have happened. Always a good idea to stay within sight or sound of fellow hikers, stop at junctions and have an experienced person take sweep position. Glad it came out ok. He had the gear and knowledge to avoid exposure issues.