Tracking device helps find Scout

A 12-year-old Boy Scout from Riverton on a weeklong 50-mile hike in the High Uintas became separated and lost from his troop earlier this week.

It's a story that has an all too familiar beginning.

But unlike some of the previous tragedies that have happened in recent years, this story had a quick and happy ending thanks to the lessons learned from those past incidents.

Nick Webb left Monday morning to go on the long hike. It's the sixth or seventh year the Scout troop had done the hike, and Webb's two older brothers had successfully completed it in years past, said Webb's mother, Angie Geigle.

The group started on the High Line Trailhead. On Wednesday, as they were hiking to the next part of their destination, Webb became separated from the pack. He reached a part in the trail where the Scouts had to take a sharp right and then hike up a steep hill, his mother said.

Webb missed the turnoff.

"All of a sudden he realized he was by himself and hadn't seen anyone for a while," Geigle said.

But rather than wander aimlessly and become even more lost, Webb stopped and used the tools he was given in case of such a scenario. He blew a whistle and screamed for the others. No one, however, heard him.

At first, Geigle said her son became very panicked and started crying. But after saying a prayer, she said a peaceful feeling came over him.

Webb stayed where he was, got out his sleeping bag, tried making a fire and prepared to stay as long as he needed.

About 4:30 p.m. when the rest of the Scouts reached their destination for the evening, they conducted a head count and realized one boy was missing.

Two of the four Scout leaders went out looking for Webb and knew right where to go because in addition to the whistle and sleeping bag, Webb was also carrying a tracking device, similar to what those in the sport of falconry use.

The troop had checked out the tracking devices from the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America specifically for this hike and given one to each Scout. It's the first year the troop had used the trackers.

"They were able to go back on the trail, and they were able to find Nick," Geigle said. "When they found him he was asleep in his sleeping bag."

He was found about a half-mile off the main trail, Geigle said.