Missing hiker found alive 17 miles away from her vehicle

Heather Wayment | Blaine County Sheriff’s Office The following is an update from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office: On Thursday, at approximately 3:24 p.m., Heather Wayment, a lost hiker, was reported located on a trail 17.3 miles from her last known location, north of Ketchum. Wayment was the subject of an intense multi-agency search and rescue effort led by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office. She was reported missing by family members on Wednesday. She was last seen on Tuesday and her vehicle was located in the Prairie Creek area of Blaine County. Wayment was found approximately 17 miles from her vehicle on a remote trail in Camas County by a group of mountain bikers who were not part of the search and rescue efforts. Wayment was able to provide her name, and the mountain bikers contacted Blaine County Emergency Communications 911 by satellite phone. Due to the remote location, significant logistics were involved in rescuing Wayment from her discovered location. The air ambulance was on scene by 4:20 p.m., and Wayment was transported by Life Flight 76 at approximately 5:45 p.m. with unknown injuries to St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise. The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the members of Blaine County Sheriff Search and Rescue, Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue, Snake River Search and Rescue, Blaine County Emergency Communications, Life Flight 76, the Camas County Sheriff’s Office, and all the members of the public who provided information to assist us in rescuing Heather Wayment safely. We especially want to thank our Blaine County Sheriff’s Office deputies for their incredible efforts over the past two days, and the mountain bikers who were able to contact law enforcement, guide the Life Flight crew to Wayment, and remain by Wayment’s side offering aid until medical assistance could arrive. ORIGINAL STORY KETCHUM — Police are asking for help in finding a woman who was reportedly last heard from on Tuesday. According to a news release from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, 46-year-old Heather Wayment was reported missing at 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday. Family members stated her car, a silver Nissan, was found at the Prairie Creek trailhead and said they had last spoken with her on Tuesday morning. According to AllTrails, the Prairie Creek Hike is a 4.6 mile loop trail near Ketchum. The sheriff’s office stated license plate reader cameras identified Wayment’s Nissan driving north on Highway 75 through Blaine County at about 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday. Map of the area around Prairie Creek trail. | Google Maps Deputies responded to Prairie Creek, contacting the family. At about 11:30 a.m., the Blaine County Search & Rescue team was dispatched, and a Command Post was established. Heather Wayment | Blaine County Sheriff’s Office Search teams were sent out on foot and mountain bikes, and drones and helicopters have also been used in the search efforts. Hikers, campers and hunters in the area were all interviewed, according to the sheriff’s office. Search operations were paused on Wednesday evening and resumed at 8 a.m. on Thursday. According to the release, Thursday’s search operations include teams on foot, mountain bikes, and horseback, as well as canines and drones. Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue and Snake River Search and Rescue have also joined the search efforts. “We are asking the public to stay away from the area and allow our first responders to do their job,” the release states. “If you were in the Prairie Creek area on Tuesday or Wednesday, September 16-17, 2025, or may have additional relevant information, please contact the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office at 208-788-5555.”The post Missing hiker found alive 17 miles away from her vehicle appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com