BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah, Jan. 6, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A 38-year-old man is in very serious condition after being stuck in a blizzard overnight following a hunting trip in western Box Elder County.
Trevor Valentine left Weber County to go hunting around noon Wednesday, according to a news release from Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department.
Valentine made contact with his wife by text message at about 6 p.m. saying he was stuck, the news release said. His instructions were to meet on State Route 30 between Kelton and Curlew junctions, and told his wife it was about a three-mile hike and he should be able to make it there in about an hour. His last contact with his wife was at about 9 p.m.
After his family drove the road and called his phone with no response they reported him missing.
Box Elder Communications received the call about 11:20 p.m., and the Search and Rescue unit responded to the area. They approached Wildcat Mountain from different locations to cover as much ground as possible. Upon arrival they encountered severe ground blizzard conditions and drifting snow in the roadways. At one point it took one group of Search and Rescue four hours to get from the main road to Wildcat Mountain.
After sunrise the winds calmed, and they were able to get four Search and Rescue members on snowmobiles to approach the mountain from the west, the general route that Valentine was thought to be walking out.
Valentine was located at approximately 10 a.m. Thursday. He had attempted to dig himself into the snow to protect from the wind and cold. Temperatures with wind chill were well below zero in the area, according to officials.
Emergency first aid was provided at the scene and Life Flight was able to land a short distance away. Valentine was transported to Murray Intermountain Medical Center in very serious condition.
As well as Box Elder County Sheriff and Search and Rescue and Life Flight, Park Valley and Snowville ambulances also responded to the scene.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this story as information becomes available.
