Unwitting Bikers Find Lost Hiker in Her Underwear
Heather Wayment (Blaine County Sheriff)
A missing hiker in central Idaho was rescued thanks not to official search crews, but to three mountain bikers who stumbled upon her by chance.
Heather Wayment disappeared on September 16 after setting out on a hike near the Prairie Creek area in Blaine County, triggering a large-scale, two-day search effort. Ground teams, K9 units, drones, and even horses were deployed, while her family and community anxiously awaited news.
The breakthrough came when brothers Tommy and Vinton Gwinn, along with their friend Shelton Robinson, encountered Wayment while on their annual mountain biking trip. Unaware that anyone was missing, they were stunned to find her wandering in her underwear, far from civilization.
According to reports, Wayment was disoriented, dehydrated, and suffering from severe foot injuries. She had torn up her shorts to use as makeshift bandages, left her phone behind in her car 17 miles away, and carried no shoes or supplies. After initially hesitating, she admitted she was lost and accepted water and a jacket from the group.
Moments later, dirt bike riders passed by and recognized Wayment as the missing hiker. With no cell service available, Tommy Gwinn used a satellite device to message his wife, who relayed their GPS coordinates to rescuers. A helicopter was dispatched, and one of the dirt bikers helped carry Wayment to the landing zone.
Her current condition has not been disclosed, but the incident left her rescuers reflecting on how close she came to disaster. “It’s remarkable she’s still alive,” Gwinn said, noting that frigid nights and the rugged terrain made survival unlikely. His advice to others: never hike alone without proper gear, navigation tools, and, if possible, satellite communication.
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