14-year-old snowmobiler found after overnight search

LOGAN — Search and rescue teams found a teenage boy after he went missing while snowmobiling on Saturday.

According to Cuyler Stoker with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the 14-year-old was snowmobiling with family and friends when he got separated. Then, a storm rolled in, making it hard for the group to find the teenager.

That’s when Stoker said the group called for help.

“[The teenager] did have to spend the night on the mountain, and we resumed the search (Sunday) morning,” Stoker said. “Between search and rescue members and volunteers that came up to help we were able to locate him and other than being cold, he’s in really good health and really good spirits.”

Stoker said the 14-year-old was in good enough shape that he walked himself to a search and rescue utility vehicle, climbing inside. He was then driven to an ambulance where he was examined before being transported to a hospital.

According to Stoker, the teenager wasn’t found far from where he first went missing.

“He kind of made his way a little bit to the South and a little bit to the West and got up into some trees. Those areas can be pretty thick when you get into the patches,” said Stoker. “[He’s a] first-time snowmobiler, and so he just didn’t feel like he could go any further on sled and that’s where he ended up being.”

Stoker said the search for the teenager was continuous.  

Searching for the missing snowmobiler

According to a Cache County Sheriff’s Office news release, search and rescue teams responded to the last known location of the teenager at 2:30 p.m., joining forces with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team. Together, they began searching for the 14-year-old.

“Search and Rescue Individuals and special teams were deployed on snowmobiles, OHV snow travel worthy vehicles, Pisten Bully Snow Cats, ski teams and searchers on foot who began their efforts to find the missing snowmobiler,” the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said.

The search also included the use of drones to find “signs of life, including heat signatures and yellow snowmobiles,” according to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office. The Utah Department of Public Safety also used its helicopter to help search for the teenager.

According to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, a ping was sent to the boy’s phone. However, the sheriff’s office said those search efforts were unsuccessful and the phone never received the pings.

Since they had been searching since 2:30 p.m., the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said a Weber County Sheriff’s Office team began searching for the boy at 2 a.m. on Sunday. It gave other searchers time to rest before resuming their efforts. 

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office said the cold weather was at -15 degrees Fahrenheit by the time the Weber County Sheriff’s Office team took over the search. The Cache County Sheriff’s Office later returned to help search for the boy early Sunday morning.

Staying safe

Stoker said the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office always wants people to go outdoors and have fun, but be safe.

“Just have a plan,” Stoker said. “Have those conversations, make sure everybody knows the plan and then stick to the plan.”

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