Boy Scouts Come to the Rescue of Injured 78-Year-Old Hiker

A group of Boy Scouts from Santa Barbara is being commended for their quick thinking and preparedness after they rescued a 78-year-old man who was lost and injured in the Emigrant Wilderness, just north of Yosemite National Park.

On August 6, nine Scouts—around 12 years old—and five adult leaders from Troop 26 were hiking near Long Lake when they encountered Douglas Montgomery, a former Scoutmaster who had been on a two-week solo trek. Montgomery had fallen into a lake, lost his backpack containing food and a GPS device, and had become disoriented and exhausted after spending a cold night outdoors without supplies.

“I was getting colder and colder. And that’s when [Troop 26] came along,” Montgomery told the Los Angeles Times. Unable to walk on his own, he was in desperate need of help.

Scoutmaster MJ Hey, who is trained in search and rescue, took charge of the situation. While he arranged for a helicopter evacuation, the Scouts provided Montgomery with food, water, electrolytes, and helped keep him warm. After about three hours, a California Highway Patrol helicopter arrived and flew Montgomery to safety, where he was reunited with his family.

Montgomery, who once led Scout trips through the same area, reflected on the importance of survival skills and praised the Scouts for their readiness. Scoutmaster Hey echoed that message, telling the Times: “No matter what situation you’re in, you should always have your essentials.”

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