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WY - SAR FINDS missing 13yr Asperger scout


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July 29,

SUBLETTE COUNTY, Wyoming (KIFI/KIDK) - A search and rescue mission is underway for a missing 13-year-old Utah boy.

The Sublette County Sheriff's Office said Garrett Hunter, from Draper, Utah, was hiking with a group of about 20 boy scouts and their leaders when he got separated from the group.

Hunter was last seen around 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning between the 1000 Island lakes area and Mary's Lake when the group left 1000 Island lakes to head back to the Elkhart Trail. 

The sheriff's office said Hunter is 5'9", 130 pounds and has light brown hair. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, gray pants and a blue pack. 

The sheriff said Hunter does have Asperger's and so he may not approach anyone for help. 

Police got the call Saturday afternoon about a missing hiker in the Mary's Lake area and immediately, a team of six TipTop Search and Rescue crew members, along with a helicopter from Sublette County, searched the area until dusk but didn't find Hunter. 

Search efforts resumed Sunday morning with 20 TipTop Search and Rescue members, Teton County Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and WYK9 out of Jackon Hole all helping. About 38 volunteers from Utah have also come to help search. 

Anyone who might have been in the area and may know something, call the Sublette County Sheriff's Office at 307-367-4378.

https://www.localnews8.com/news/wyoming/search-underway-for-missing-boy-scout-in-wyoming/774680759

https://www.ksl.com/article/46368288/wyoming-officials-searching-for-utah-teen-who-went-missing-in-wind-river-range

Edited by RememberSchiff
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FOUND!

"Garrett has been found, he is in good health and will stay put with volunteer searchers until morning. More to follow," the Sublette County Sheriff's Office said.

He was located around 10:15 p.m. Sunday night.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/boy-scout-found-missing-days-hiking-trip/story?id=56906593

https://www.localnews8.com/news/wyoming/search-underway-for-missing-boy-scout-in-wyoming/774680759

Edited by RememberSchiff
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58 minutes ago, thrifty said:

How do you find these?  Local news, dumb luck, random internet searches?  I appreciate you sharing these for several reasons.

Yes to those and maybe also an old nose for news and a drive to improve Scouting.  I am very glad that young Garrett was found safe and am interested to learn why he left his group.

I had a young Asperger scout wander away one night. His buddy had taken his eyes off him for a minute and he was gone. I am sure many parents can relate. We found him about half a mile away happily stargazing in an open area. He did not respond to any of our calls. 

 

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25 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

Yes to those and maybe also an old nose for news and a drive to improve Scouting.  I am very glad that young Garrett was found safe and am interested to learn why he left his group.

I had a young Asperger scout wander away one night. His buddy had taken his eyes off him for a minute and he was gone. I am sure many parents can relate. We found him about half a mile away happily stargazing in an open area. He did not respond to any of our calls. 

 

Many Scoutmasters too. Been there and done that.

So many reasons why Scoutmaster's don't get much sleep. 

Barry

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PINEDALE, Wyoming —

Garrett Hunter, 13, was located in “tough terrain” about 1 mile away from his original camp in a drainage area near Junction Lake southeast of Shoshone National Forest, according to Sublette County Sheriff’s Sgt. Travis Bingham.

The teen had been hiking with members of a Boy Scout group in the Wind River area near Elkhart Park Saturday morning when he slipped away from the pack to use the bathroom. By the time he returned, the group was gone. 

“Of course, I panicked,” he said. “I had some weight on me, so I ditched my tent and some trash and went up the mountain.”

Garrett was reported missing Saturday afternoon. As time went on, he said he began to wonder if he’d ever get out of the wilderness or if he’d ever see his family again.

He kept his backpack and a sleeping bag, and also had some food and a water filter, which he used to drink stream water until he was located. He said he ate ants and bark for extra food until he was located.

“It was my first time tasting bugs. They actually weren’t so bad,” he said.

Garrett was rescued from the mountain area early Monday morning when it was light enough for the operation. Bingham said the terrain where Garrett was found was too difficult for a helicopter to land, which made the rescue take longer.

More at Source + Photos of family reunion and rescuers

https://www.ksl.com/article/46368624/draper-scout-rescued-from-wyoming-mountains-reunited-with-family

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...

At approximately 7:30 am this morning, the contract Sublette County Helicopter along with a TipTop search member deployed to the area where Garrett Hunter was found. Garrett was located last night just after 10 pm.

Due to difficult mountainous terrain, it took time to find a suitable landing zone. Once the helicopter found a place to land, Garrett was extracted from the Junction Lake area along with the four volunteer search member’s that had stayed with him overnight.

They were all flown to the Pinedale Ralph Wenz field airport were Garrett was reunited with his parents who were anxiously awaiting his safe return.

Garrett was in good health and great spirit upon his arrival back to Pinedale. Garrett described his experience to search members and stuck to what he had been trained to do.

It is at times like this when people band together with one goal in mind that incredible things can happen. Everyone involved set out to find Garrett safe and return him to family friends and loved ones.

Sublette County Sheriff’s Office like to thank TipTop Search and Rescue, Teton County Search and Rescue, Fremont County Search and Rescue, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, WYK9, Civil Air Patrol, Davis County Utah Search and Rescue, the State of Wyoming, and the State of Utah for their support and assistance in this search.

Respectively the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office would also like to recognize the overwhelming support by the Hunter’s family, friends, and church members.

In addition Sublette County Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge all the citizens that helped us reach this outcome.

The Hunter Family wishes to extend their deepest heartfelt thanks to everyone involved and everyone who provided support as well.

Source and photos:

https://www.sweetwaternow.com/lost-boy-scout-reunited-with-family-in-successful-early-morning-rescue1/

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