HikeArizona.COM

Rescue crews assisting stranded and cold Boy Scouts
April 11th, 2009 @ 10:51am


Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies are assisting a group of hikers that became stranded near Apache Lake. MCSO said the group is concerned a child in the group may have hypothermia.

The group is believed to have five children and two adults on the outing.

MCSO said the search was focusing on the area near highway 88 and the Reavis trailhead. Cold, wet weather blanketed the area for most of Friday night and Saturday morning.

Sheriff's deputies requested a helicopter to assist in the search effort but the cloudy and wet weather made it unsafe to utilize the chopper, according to emergency crews on the scene.

The Rural Metro Fire Department said the adults called emergency crews Saturday morning on a cell phone requesting help. The child they are concerned about is apparently in a tent wrapped in blankets, according to Rural Metro.

Hikers are now making the long trek to the stranded group's camp.

The Scout motto is "Be Prepared." A spring storm such as this one should be easy to keep dry in, assuming your tents don't leak, that you have reserved some dry clothes and socks, etc. It is hard sometimes when you have a troop of boys, they'll put on their dry clothes from their packs, but then they won't stay inside the tents, so they end up getting those clothes wet, too. I really hope the kid is ok.

Did someone in the group contact the sherrif? Or were they overdue?

I found it on a Phx. tv website. An adult called 911 about 7 am and reported that they had a kid in trouble.

From what I heard, on tv of coarse. The scout leaders knew there was a storm forcasted. I mean heck WHO IN THE PHX AREA DIDNT KNOW?? A friend of mine works at Maricopa COunty Hospital and shes heard through the grapevine that the kid was ok?? WHo kows if its true or not but that is what she heard from a friend of a friend (you know how it goes) But I guess my question is, WHY didnt they just pack up and walk out? Was the kid in that much trouble that they couldnt pack up and leave?

Not exactly easy to leave in the middle of the night. Didn't they call for help in the morning? Kid was probably in his own tent and looked bad in the morning.

Ah honestly its easy for even me to say why didnt they just leave. BUT not being there and knowing everything yeah...well.. i guess they learned a huge lesson. or at least I hope. I wonder what badge he will get for this trip??????

Depending on what kind of condition he was in, moving him might have been one of the worst things they could have done. Hopefully more details will emerge and paint a clearer picture of what happened...

I doubt if you will ever hear more about it unless you are involved in local Scouting or SAR--in that case you might hear something. The newspaper has forgotten all about it by now--I seriously doubt they would do followup on that story. It would be instructive, though, to know what happened, might learn something of value.

I'll ask around and report back ;)

The troop member that had hypothermia according to azcentral got it after a leak in his tent soaked him with rain water. ABC15 says the kid was the troop master's son You can see a video of them at the ABC15 website. Here's the text of the story:

Weather strands Boy Scouts, leaders at lake east of Valley
Reported by: Deborah Stocks
Last Update: 4/12 1:12 pm

Search and rescue crews got help Saturday to a Boy Scout who apparently fell ill during a camping trip near Apache Lake, about 65 miles east of Phoenix.

Maricopa County Sheriff's spokesman Aaron Douglas said the ailing scout was treated at the scene -- reportedly for hypothermia -- and left in the care of his parents. The boy's father is the troop master.

Mark Cichocki with the Rural Metro Fire Department said the group hiked in about 6.5 miles on a trail at the lake where they camped.

He said they apparently did not anticipate snow and cold overnight conditions.

Cichocki said the two adults and seven Boy Scouts had a tent and the child kept in the tent, covered up until rescuers arrived.

Rescuers reportedly had cell phone contact with the stranded hikers who were able to get a call out of the area at about 7 a.m.

Saturday night, rescue crews said the boy suffering from hypothermia was doing great.

They said it's another reminder to check the weather, make a plan, and be prepared before going on any hike.

dshillis wrote:a leak in his tent soaked him with rain water.

Been there, that's a miserable situation. Very thankfully I was not alone.

He said they apparently did not anticipate snow and cold overnight conditions.

Really? You'd think the boy scouts would check the weather forecast.