LOGAN, Utah — An entire community in Logan is relieved after a 14-year-old boy was rescued over the weekend after he became separated from his snowmobiling group and got lost in some unforgiving conditions.
Those in the area know and love the surrounding mountains, so when the boy's mother asked for help, volunteers didn’t skip a beat rounding up a crew and heading up to try and help.
"We heard when we got back from sledding Saturday that there’d been a boy missing since around noon," explained volunteer Ladd Udy.
Udy and his friends spend a lot of time snowmobiling up Logan Canyon for fun.
"We live in these mountains, we love these mountains, it's our peace," he said.
Snowmobiling teen shares below his experience of being lost in Logan Canyon:
But things became more serious when the boy's mother asked for their help to find her son.
"Called up the boys, gathered them up and within 30 minutes we were all headed up Logan Canyon," Udy explained.
The group immediately dropped their plans to see if they could assist in finding the boy who was in a dire situation.
"There was a bad storm Saturday, later on, I mean 40 yards in front of you and that was as far as you could see," said Udy. "Whiteout conditions, very dangerous."
With temperatures dropping to as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit near the Franklin Basin Road Trailhead, the boy was found alive early Sunday.
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Many expressed relief at such a great outcome to what could have been much different.
"I can’t imagine spending a night outside in Logan Canyon and I can’t imagine the fear his parents had, and I can’t believe he made it out," shared Melissa Burch, a local mom who was out walking on Logan's Main Street with her daughter Monday.
Udy, who works as an electrician thanked everyone who felt the call to help, including his fellow electricians, construction workers, truck drivers and community members who know the ins and outs of the backcountry.
"Everyone was shouting it out as fast as they could: help needed," Udy said. "So, people came together and made it happen."
Which is something Udy says you’d expect from this community.
"You know this Cache Valley community is very awesome. We all care for each other. Like this situation, you can get a group of guys all jump together and go and help."
Because conditions in the mountains can change in a moment’s notice, Udy recommends anyone who ventures out into the backcountry to have some avalanche gear, a beacon and a radio to stay in contact with your group.
