The teen’s family called for help Saturday after he got separated from his group along the Highline trail off Mirror Lake Highway near Butterfly Lake.
Summit County Sheriff’s deputies, the Utah Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Forest Service and mounted patrol resources also responded to help in the search.
It got dark before crews could find the missing teen so they camped out overnight and resumed the search at sunrise.
Sunday morning the team heard a whistle and then spotted the lost hiker thanks to the bright pink rain poncho he was wearing.
He was in good condition and flown back to the trailhead.
Summit County Sheriff’s Sgt. Skyler Talbot said the 14-year-old did all the right things to participate in his own rescue.
“When you're in a thick wooded area, it's difficult, everything looks the same,” he said. “So the more, the more you can stand out, whether that's moving into a, you know, an open marsh area or an open field, have a piece of clothing that's bright and easily observable from the ground and from the sky. Those are some things that are really going to increase the chances of a positive outcome.”
He also said, if you do get separated from your group, stay in one place until help can arrive or your group finds you.
