Lost Scout

[txscoutdad]

Have you all seen this in the news and does anyone from that area have any updates on this?

 

 

Search Continues for Missing Boy Scout

Aug. 21, 2004

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Summit County search and rescue crews are trying to find a 12-year-old Boy Scout who has been missing in the High Uinta Mountains since yesterday.

 

Garret Bardsley of Elk Ridge disappeared around eight A-M yesterday when he went to change clothes after he fell into a lake while fishing with his father, Kevin Bardsley.

 

The father is a member of the Salem Eighth Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is the scout troop's sponsor.

 

Searchers are looking in the Pass Lake area, just north of Mirror Lake.

 

A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter is assisting in the search.

 

This is the second time in a month that a Boy Scout became lost in the Uintas. William Dunn, a 13-year-old from West Valley City, was equipped with a map, compass and camping gear when he was separated from his troop during a five-day backpacking trip that began in late July. He hiked alone for two days before he was found by searchers.

 

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

 

[le Voyageur]

It was the last paragraph that got my attention...a 13 year old scout lost for two days with map and compass...WOW!!! My guess is that the Unit Leaders failed to do their job right...sure glad I'm not part of that unit...

[Big_Dog]

LV-

If I remember reading that article correctly, the 13 year old never considered himself lost. When they found him, he was hiking to a ron-day-voo (correct spelling in Texas) point after he was seperated from his troop. He knew where he was and where he was going.

 

bd

[EagleInKY]

This is the thread about the 13 year old that got lost.

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=69476#id_69476

 

This was perfect timing for us, as we were just beginning map & compass for our first year scouts. I printed out copies of the story and had them read it and come back with the mistakes that happened, as well as the good things. It was a good teaching tool for this. They did their 5 mile hike with a map & compass this weekend, and they mentioned this story several times.

[le Voyageur]

Thanks for the info...it was enough to get me off my duff and do an internet search on William Dunn. After reading the artcile in the Deseret News, the only conculsion that I could reach was, was that this unit was out of their league...my guess is that young Dunn went off into the bush for a nature call, and on his return the unit had moved on.... geezs, whatever happened to the buddy system, and doing a head check before moving out? Here again is my argument of why BSA should reintroduce tracking, 14 scouts tend to make a lot of footprints, but Dunn, having takened the wrong trail proceeded on without reading the ground. And even with map in hand it was apparent he couldn't read the map well enough to diferentiate terrain...I guess on the plus side, this is an excellant example of how not to run a backcountry trek....

[SR540Beaver]

LeV,

 

Good to see you back!

 

The buddy what? From my experience, you could drill a hole in the boy's heads and pour the buddy system in with a funnel and cork it tight and they still would ignore it. We made a sport of it at summer camp this year to sit under our dining fly next to the road and ask boys where their buddy was. We'd send them back to their camp instead of letting them go get their slushie at the trading post.

[BSA_Bugler]

I called Utah National Parks Council to check on the lost Scout,Garret Bardsley. He has not been found. It is raining the temp is dropping and they expect snow tonight. All non-technical searchers are being pulled from the search due to the adverse weather. The situation is not good.

 

Please join me and members of Pack 30, Andrew Jackson Council (Jackson, MS) in praying for Garret and the searchers.

 

The Utah National Parks Council sent me the below e-mail today. There is a link for updates.

 

"Thank you all for your prayers and interest. The weather has turned colder here today and some volunteers are being sent home. At noon today the Summit County Sherrif stated that they had searched all the highly probable areas and were moving to a technical search phase, sending many volunteers homeward due to winterlike conditions.

You can read more at":

 

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=114778&nid=5

 

[Laurie]

Thank you for the info. I've been following this thread with the hopes that the Scout was found and well. Prayers are definitely lifted here for him.

[summit911]

This story hits close to home in a couple of way for me. First, as an ASM (soon to be SM) I 've gone with our guys to these same mountains. We've witnessed first hand the sudden turns in the weather, the lightning, and the tricky rock slopes. I've also fielded literally hundreds of calls from people wanting to come out and help search.

 

My heart goes out the the father and family. After four nights out in the elements hope is not gone, but it's pretty dim. My thoughts and prayers also go out the members of Summit Couny Search and Rescue. These men and women are as dedicated and resourceful a group as you will find anywhere.

 

I plan to talk with with SAR Director Jim Snyder when this is resolved to see if I can extract information about this search and the William Dunn search to present to the boys in my troop as a semi-formal training session. My goal is bring the art of staying found to a less abstract level.

 

There have been at least three other 'lost scout' searches in the Uintas this summer, they were all found within 24 hours.

[BSA_Bugler]

FYI-Update-please continue to prayfor Garret.

 

KSL News: Search for Missing Scout Turns to Recovery Effort

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=115065

 

Search for Missing Scout Turns to Recovery Effort Aug. 24, 2004(KSL News / AP) -- Trained search and rescue crews are meticulously combing the rugged terrain of the Uinta Mountains looking for a 12-year-old Boy Scout. An emotional father holds on to hope that his missing 12-year-old will be found. "We haven't given up hope. We don't want to leave Garret on this mountain," his father said. But after another night of frigid temperatures in the Uinta Mountains, Summit County officials admit chances of finding Garret Bardsley alive are slim. Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds says the focus of today's search will be cliff areas, under boulders and fallen logs. Edmunds says they believe Garrett Bardsley may have taken shelter when bad weather moved in. There's been no sign of the boy. And searchers are now preparing for the worst outcome. Crews will again brave cooler temperatures and maybe some rain as they resume the search for Garrett. Garrett disappeared Friday morning in the high Uintas, near the Mirror Lake area. That's where trained search teams were to meet at 7:00 this morning to begin the fifth day of searching. Summit County officials say because of rough conditions, and because the 12 year old didn't have any food or shelter, the chances he's survived this long are slim. Deputies say while Garrett had a very short distance between where he was last seen and the camp he was trying to reach, they say he may have become scared or even lost. Despite those doubts, the Bardsley family is determined to find Garrett. Kevin Bardsley/ Garrett's Father: "We haven't given up hope. We don't want to leave Garrett here on this mountain. We want to bring him home." Edmunds says the mission is now a recovery operation and says they believe they're looking for someone who's unresponsive. Only trained searchers will be used today to search for Garrett. Volunteers are no longer needed. (The Associated Press contributed to this story)

[scoutldr]

Bump...just to keep this little guy and his family in our prayers...we need a miracle here.

[SR540Beaver]

It has bothered me ever since I posted in this thread earlier that my comments might be considered flippant. Please forgive me if anyone took them that way. Everytime I read this thread, I think what if this were my 11 year old son and I tear up. My heart goes out to this scared lost boy and his family. I pray for a miracle and that he could be found alive. I know that with the amount of time and weather, that is a slim possibility. Still, I hope. I checked and saw where one of his socks was found 3/4 of a mile of his last known location. That is helping them concentrate their search. My prayers are with him and his family.

[scoutldr]

Aug. 26, 2004

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Search and rescue crews hope to find a missing 12-year-old Boy Scout in the Uinta Mountains after finding his sock near where he was last seen.

 

Trained personnel today will focus their search on a boulder field and nearby areas where they found the sock belonging to Garrett Bardsley Tuesday. Summit County deputies say the sock was found about a half-mile away from where he was last seen on Friday.

 

Garrett vanished after he went back to camp to change his clothes that got wet while he was fishing with his father.

 

Investigators remain hopeful, but say there's little chance that Garrett is still alive. They say he may have taken shelter from bad weather, where he may have succumbed to the elements.

 

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

 

 

[Its Me]

I hope he will be found.

 

I have setup a Google News search with istant notification for any article that conatins the words "Lost & Scout".

 

He is too young to die.

[Grumpy]

I don't want to sound like an "I told you so" post, and my heart is broken when I think of this boy. But I can count many things that were not done correctly, and that led up to him being missing.

 

I am not saying for any reason other than to hopefully make us all the more aware how important certain safety rules established by the BSA are followed. I know the adult (parent) here must already be blaming himself.

 

1. Use the buddy system. If someone has to go back to the camp, he goes with a buddy. No exceptions, It doesn't matter how far away or how long he'll be away.

 

2. If lost, stay put. If a lost hiker stay in one place, he will be found. If they move they will be found, dead.

 

3. Carry a small emergency pack that includes an emergency blanket, water, first aid, on all hikes. Get in the habit.

 

If just one of these rules were followed, he would be found alive most likely.