Mountain Bikers Rescue Missing Hiker in Idaho

Last month, a group of resourceful mountain bikers found a hiker who had been missing for two days in the challenging Idaho wilderness, bringing her to safety, according to local authorities.

Heather Wayment, 46, was reported missing by her family on September 17, following her last sighting in the Prairie Creek area of Blaine County. The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the timeline.

The following day, three mountain bikers, not part of any official search and rescue effort, came upon a path on a remote trail in Camas County, approximately 17 miles from where her vehicle was located.

Brothers Tommy and Vintongwin Gwynn, along with their friend Shelton Robinson, shared with East Idaho News that they were on their usual camping and biking trip when they unexpectedly encountered a woman displaying signs of distress.

“We stopped because she was clearly in a bad state,” Gwynn recounted. “She didn’t want help initially. She was scared and very guarded. It took her about thirty minutes to start talking.”

Despite informing the group that she was lost, they didn’t immediately recognize her as the missing hiker given the news hadn’t circulated widely yet.

“This is really rough country,” Gwynn added. “She wasn’t on the bike path, meaning she crossed several mountains to end up where she was. It gets really cold at night. It’s remarkable that she’s alive.”

As the bikers assisted her, more mountain bikers arrived and recognized her situation.

The bikers reached out to 911 using a satellite phone, and rescuers provided them with the coordinates for a helicopter to land.

“The only safe spot for the helicopter was about half a mile below us in the meadows,” Robinson explained. “One of the other bikers carried her to the helicopter, saving valuable time for the rescue team.”

Wayment was eventually airlifted to St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise with injuries, though no immediate updates on her condition were available.

Robinson expressed gratitude for the successful outcome: “It’s always in the back of your mind that something might happen on these outings and you could need a rescue. It was impressive to see how the rescue unfolded.”

The Sheriff’s Office extended their thanks to the mountain bikers for their crucial role in the rescue, as well as recognizing the deputies for their dedicated efforts over the two-day search.