2 men rescued after hours in Bear Lake

GARDEN CITY, Rich County — Two men were rescued Saturday night after floating for hours in Bear Lake.

Their boat became disabled around 5 p.m. about a mile north and two miles east of the Bear Lake State Park marina near Garden City, and they tried to swim to shore against the wishes of the other five people on the boat, according to Utah State Parks spokeswoman Deena Loyola. No one in the group had a cell phone.

Park rangers and a Rich County search and rescue team started looking for the men around 8:15 p.m. when Idaho State Parks officials, responding to a call from a rental company, said they were towing a boat to the marina. Rescuers found Mitch Dean, 25, of Harrisville, at 10:25 p.m. He received treatment for hypothermia and exhaustion and was flown to a Salt Lake area hospital, where he was expected to be released Sunday.

Jess Jenson, 26, of Smithfield, was found shortly after 11 p.m. when crews heard him blowing a whistle attached to his life jacket. He was taken to Logan Regional Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries and released.

The two men were found about a half-mile farther east from shore than where they started, Loyola said, showing the futility of their attempt to swim into a stiff wind. Anyone in a similar situation should "put on life jackets and stay with the boat," she said.

— Paul Koepp