Rescue crews advise hikers research trails, avoid deviations to stay safe

LAYTON, Utah (KUTV) — Officials said they expect to see a rise in the number of search and rescue cases as the weather gets warmer, just like the hiker who was in the mountains above Layton for two days in late April.

Deputies with the Davis County Sheriff's Office said the hiker, Tobias Braaten, had a friend who expected him to come back Saturday morning. When Braaten didn't come home, the friend called police.

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The officials said this is a good example of why hikers should stick to their hiking plans as much as possible.

Even experienced hikers walking along the Layton trails said it would be easy for someone to get lost.

Hiker Jonathan Booher said a lot of paths come together in the ridge above the Fernwood Trailhead, and it’s easy to lose track of where you’re heading.

“You can drop all the way down to Morgan from here. You can go all over, so, once you get up there, it would be pretty easy to get disoriented,” Booher said.

Booher once got lost while hiking in California, and he said he won’t let that happen again.

“I make sure to do my research ahead of time and plan the trail, bring a compass and be prepared for anything else that happens along the way," he said.

Officials said Braaten started his hike in Layton but ended up hiking to an area near Fruit Heights before heading back to his car Sunday afternoon. Braaten reportedly saw the search and rescue choppers, but didn’t realize they were searching for him.

Braaten’s cell phone reportedly died, so he wasn’t able to call anyone and let them know where he was.

If a hiker gets lost, Utah County Search and Rescue Incident Manager Steve Gorrell said they should call 911 and stay put.

He said crews have had to chase a couple lost hikers in Tibble Fork Canyon who kept walking after they called for help.

“We ended up hiking an extra five miles to find them. If they would have stayed where they were, we could have ended everything three hours earlier,” Gorrell said.

He said no one expects to get lost, but they should always prepare for that possibility. He told hikers to bring extra clothes and food.

“Powerbars, or something like that. Calories can help you because calories will also help you stay warm at night. Then, having plenty of water or a water filter," he said.

Gorell said people hesitate to call for help when they do get lost, usually waiting until it’s dark and their cell phone batteries are nearly dead. He said if you call earlier with a full battery, they have a better chance of tracking your location.