BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah, June 5, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — When a Logan couple failed to arrive in West Wendover, Nevada, as planned, the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office was called to help find them.
The call came in at about 10:35 a.m. Sunday, notifying the sheriff’s office that Matthew and Abigail Adams had left Logan the previous day. They planned to drive to Wendover by going through Lucin, Utah, in the West Desert of Box Elder County.
A news release from the sheriff’s office says deputies started calling hotels in West Wendover and one even drove the East Pilot Mountain Road from Lucin to Wendover.
In Wendover, the deputy checked parking lots, looking for the Nissan Titan pickup truck the Adamses were traveling in.
When the truck wasn’t found, and the sheriff got word that the couple hadn’t checked in at the hotel where they had a reservation, Box Elder Search and Rescue was alerted.
“Just as SAR were leaving to search, Box Elder Communications Center received a call from Union Pacific that the lost party had been located on the Lucin Cutoff railroad grade just south of the Hogup Mountain range,” the news release says. “It was reported that the vehicle was stuck in the desert and a UPRR maintenance crew would be on their way to that location to assist Mr and Mrs Adams.”
SAR members headed to the Hogup area from Brigham City, using several routes so they wouldn’t miss the couple.
At 3 p.m., the Adamses were found, and to everyone’s relief, they were fine.
It turned out that their truck got stuck in a mudhole, and their four-wheel drive wouldn’t engage.
But the couple was very resourceful.
They could see the railroad from their location, the release says, and they started timing the train traffic and noticed maintenance trucks going west on the grade. They then made a “HELP” sign and attached it to an umbrella.
Matthew Adams went to the railroad grade with the sign, planning to get the attention of a passing train, but a Union Pacific Railroad maintenance crew made contact with him first.
The Box Elder Sheriff’s Office wants people to know that the story has a happy ending because of “a lot of things that went right.”
“They did notify a family member of their intended route and when to expect them to check back in. When that did not happen family was able to call for assistance and provide us with a location. They made a plan to obtain assistance but otherwise stayed with the vehicle, conserved energy and stayed out of the elements.
“We encourage everyone to do the same. If you are planning to travel in any remote locations take plenty of water, healthy snacks or food. Notify family or friends where you will be and what time to expect you home. Don’t deviate from that route without updating someone and realize that your cell phone likely will not work in all areas where you plan to be.”
The news release adds that everyone was thankful they were able to help the Adamses get back home.
