Drones Help Find Lost Teen in -15°F Mountain Rescue Drama

In an intense overnight Search and Rescue operation that started on February 8th, teams deployed drones alongside traditional search methods to locate a missing 14-year-old snowmobiler in Franklin Basin, reports Fox 13.

“I had the privilege of serving alongside dedicated volunteers from 5 different Search and Rescue teams, working tirelessly through the night in -15°F temperatures,” reported Kyle Nordfors from Weber County Search and Rescue. “Snowmobiles, helicopters, and drones were all used to help locate this young man.”

Search Parameters

The operation focused on an area approximately 2.5 miles southwest of Gibson Basin along the Idaho–Utah border. Search teams specifically sought a yellow snowmobile the teen had been riding, with drones scanning for the vehicle, heat signatures, and other signs of life despite the extreme cold conditions.

Multi-Modal Search Operation

The comprehensive search effort integrated multiple technologies and methods:

• Drone teams conducting aerial searches
• Helicopter support providing additional aerial coverage
• Ground teams operating snowmobiles
• Cell phone ping tracking attempts (which received no response)

Cross-Border Coordination

The mission’s location required seamless coordination between Cache County Sheriff’s Office and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, operating from the Franklin Basin Road Trailhead in Logan Canyon.

As Nordfors noted, the operation exemplified remarkable teamwork: “It was an intense all-hands-on-deck situation that, thankfully, concluded with a happy ending.”

The successful rescue concluded with the boy receiving medical treatment, demonstrating how modern search technology like drones can complement traditional SAR methods even in extreme winter conditions.

Photos courtesy of Weber Country Search and Rescue.