By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County Sheriff Alden Orme said the four Boy
Scouts and two leaders from Salt Lake City who were rescued
after hiking in Juab County's West Desert followed the Boy
Scout moto: Be Prepared.
"They were prepared," said Orme. "They had good
contingency plans."
Orme said the search for the troop was led by
volunteers from Juab County Search and Rescue, Juab County
deputies, residents of Callao and was aided by volunteers
from Salt Lake City and the Utah Highway Patrol.
He said the volunteers searched the Deep Creek
Mountain area about 100 miles west of Nephi.
"We had approximately 35 people looking for the
missing scouts and their leaders," said Orme.
Those searchers used all-terrain vehicles, and
motorcycles. In addition, two helicopters assisted with air
searches.
"The boys didn't panic," said Orme. "They boys stuck
together."
Orme said the countryside is in the remote Deep Creek
Mountain area is rugged and steep.
He said that by the time a Department of Public Safety
helicopter made contact with the troop on Saturday
afternoon, at least 28 hours had passed since they were
supposed to reconnect with a main group of Scouts.
The boys were from Troop 173, sponsored by the
Imperial LDS 1st Ward of Salt Lake City.
Orme said he was told that the hike became extremely
difficult and one youth became fatigued so the troop decided
to make camp and rest.
"We figured out where the boys had to be because other
places had been searched," he said.
The hikers had planned a three-day backpacking trip,
intending to rejoin the main group of Scouts on Friday.
About 2 p.m. Wednesday, they left the trail head near Indian
Farms. At Indian Farms, some younger Scouts stayed to work
on merit badge courses.
Plans were, that on the second day, the group would
scale Haystack Peak. However, one boy was hiking slowly, so
the group decided not to hike to the peak.
On Friday, the scouts had planned to hike down Big
Canyon before reconnecting with the main group.
The leaders thought the trail, looking down from base
camp, went all the way through the canyon and so that it
would be an easy way out. What they didn't realize was that
canyon was actually a treacherous place to hike.
The group reached its mouth in about an hour and a
half but was crossing boulder fields and going through brush
and realized the route was not going to get any better.
The scout master sent out a scouting group without
backpacks. They went ahead about 300 yards and returned to
report that the canyon looked risky for the hikers.
It was decided to stop and set up camp.
Orme said the scouts were to the side of a stream and
had water filters that would allow them to safely drink the
stream water.
"They were a good group and did not fight or bicker
but worked together and supported the decisions made by
their scout master," said Orme.
The troop was unable to communicate with the outside
world because cell phones would not reach from the
canyon.
On Saturday, they continued to stay in camp, taking
long naps. The plan was if they were not rescued, they would
hike back out. About 6 p.m. Saturday, they heard the
Department of Public Safety helicopter.
Meanwhile, one of the neighbors had chartered another
helicopter, based in Park City, to assist in the search.
That neighbor and the fire chief of Mona, Juab County,
put on day packs and hiked to the camp. They camped there
Saturday night, too.
"The area where they were found is very steep and
rugged."
Scouts had plenty of food, had shelter and good
weather so scout leaders were not too concerned and found
that, Sunday morning, the Scout who had been fatigued was in
good shape.
At that point, the group walked out to rescuers. After
a four-hour hike they reached the base camp and were given
rides home.
The expedition had been planned for two years. The
plan had been to hike out Basin Creek.
Orme wanted to thank all those who helped with the
rescue.
"We owe a special thanks to the search and rescue
posse, to our fire marshal, deputies, to the Utah Highway
Patrol, all the volunteers, and to all those who helped
located the boys," said Orme.
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