Teen rescued after spending night lost in Uintas

A DPS helicopter takes off in the high Uintas in August of 2024. A probable new Summit County sales tax will generate revenue for emergency services like Search and Rescue. Photo: Summit County Utah Search and Rescue

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — A 14-year-old spent the night in the Uintas on Saturday before being rescued unharmed by Summit County Search and Rescue personnel early Sunday morning. The teen became separated from his group at around 8:45 a.m., and Summit County 911 received a call at 5:03 p.m. reporting that the teen could not be located.

Summit County Sheriff’s office responded to the Highline trailhead to gather more information as Search and Rescue, DPS, USFS, and mounted patrol resources were dispatched to the trailhead at the foot of Hayden Peak in the high Uintas.

Teams searched several nearby trails to the last point the teen was seen to try and locate him, but as nightfall approached searchers were forced to spend the night in the field to be ready at first light to resume searching. At daybreak, teams began searching and heard a whistle and someone yelling. They were able to make visual contact with the missing teen, and he was picked up by a DPS helicopter and flown to the trailhead in good condition.

Officials said the boy was found approximately two miles southeast of Rocky Sea Pass on the Duchesne side of the Uintas, near Cyclone Pass. As morning came the boy made his way up high and began blowing the whistle.

Partners, including the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Unita County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, South Summit EMS, and USFS, also assisted in the search.