Missing hikers found safe

Late Friday night two hikers were reported missing in the Pyramid Lake Trout Creek area of Boundary County.

Melody Braden and Ray Sayers, both 22, of Bonners Ferry, went on a trail run in the area and were due home by 6 p.m. Friday, according to an afternoon press release from the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office Saturday, July 30. 

When Braden and Sayers did not arrive home by midnight, a family member decided to go where they had been hiking. The family member discovered their vehicle still parked at the trail head. The family called BCSO and reported Braden and Sayers missing.

The search was initiated early Saturday morning.

The search continued until it was confirmed that Braden and Sayers had walked out of the area and were picked up by a truck with volunteers  helping look for them. 

“We are so lucky that Molly Rifkin, Jim Cadnum and a man named Bob I didn’t catch his last name but they found us, it was a relief,” said Sayers.

According to Boundary County Chief Deputy Sheriff Rich Stephens, it appeared the hikers went off trail somewhere near Ball and Pyramid lakes. 

“It looked as though for one reason or another they went off trail to explore and they kept circling around, finally coming out below where the search was taking place,” Stephens said.

A person driving by saw them on the side of the road and picked them up and went back to the trailhead where the search had been staged. 

A U.S. Border Patrol unit was able to confirm the identities of the hikers at about 8 p.m. Saturday. 

“It did not appear that there were any medical issues or distress,” said Stephens.

Braden and Sayers went home from there and the search was officially called off.

“We were a little arrogant and figured we knew the area well enough to go for about an hour and a half run,” Sayers said.

According to Sayers there was still snow in the area and ice on the lake and they were only dressed in summer clothes.

“I had a lot of camping supplies, matches, water and anything you would need for camping in my car,” Sayers said. “We didn’t have the appropriate supplies for camping with us.”

Sayers said they went around a different way coming back down from the lake and ended up in the wrong drainage system and that is how they got lost.

They spent the night in Long Canyon but didn’t sleep Sayers said.

“I was more afraid of cougars than bears, because cougars hunt to kill and bears it is more of a defense, although they can kill you too,” he said.

It was estimated to be about 40 degrees where they spent the night, according to Sayers.

“We saw the helicopter that was searching for us three times,” Sayers said.  “It just didn’t see us in all the trees and brush, it came really close twice and we got so excited because they were so close but it missed us.”

The hikers eventually navigated their way toward town by the sun, Sayers said and then ended up at Ball Creek.  He said he and Braden heard voices and knew there was an open space coming so people would be able to see them.

“It was amazing how many people and how fast everyone responded,” Sayers said. “The response was so quick and it was wonderful.”

Some of the volunteer searchers who were in a canyon and not available by radio didn’t not return to the staging site until 10:45 p.m.

Agencies that participated in the search included BCSO, sheriff's posse, Boundary County Search and Dive Rescue, US Forest Service,  US Border Patrol,  MedStar Air Ambulance, seven horses and Fairchild Air Force Base.  There were a number of community members who also volunteered in the search.