Woman found after getting lost huckleberry hunting
CARIBOU COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - The Caribou County Sheriff's Office reports a missing 81-year-old woman has been found.
On Thursday at about 7:40 p.m., sheriff’s office was notified Janet Anderson of Soda Springs was lost on Forest Rd #402, approx. 17 miles south of Soda Springs, Idaho in the 8 Mile Area.
Anderson had been huckleberry hunting with her family when they got separated.
The Caribou County Search and Rescue was activated and responded to the area, and Bear Lake County Search and Rescue was also requested to assist. Air Idaho Rescue responded with their helicopter and searched the area from the air using spotlights and thermal imaging. After the Air Idaho Rescue helicopter had to leave, the search continued until about 4 a.m. when further searching was halted until daylight.
Once it was light enough to continue searching, fresh search personnel were once again searching the area. A private helicopter that is locally owned by Nathan Hale of Grace also joined the search.
At about 8:40 a.m., Hale located Anderson on a ridge line approximately 1000 feet from where she was last seen. Anderson had received some minor injuries from falling in the dark, but was in great condition and spirit and had spent the night eating the huckleberries she had earlier picked.
The search involved more than 50 individuals from both the Caribou County and Bear Lake Search and Rescue Organizations, Air Idaho Rescue, the Idaho Fish and Game, United States Forest Service Personnel, Caribou County and Bear Lake Sheriff’s Office, the Highlanders, a Caribou County Volunteer Service Group and other Caribou County individuals.
"I appreciate the swift and selfless response of all the volunteers who responded to this incident," Sheriff Adam Mabey said. "It is the community members and organizations of southeast Idaho, that makes this a great place to live, work and play."
