Missing snowmobiler found okay

Crews waiting at the command center for Larry Orduno to be transported to them after being found by search and rescue teams, Monday morning.

LOGAN — A snowmobiler, missing since Saturday in the Franklin Basin area, was found early Monday morning as search and rescue teams were beginning a second day of looking for him.

Cache County Sheriff’s Lt. Doyle Peck said 48-year-old Lawrence “Larry” Orduno was found cold and wet, but in good condition just before 10 a.m. Crews located him in the Cow Canyon area. He was transported by Snow-cat to waiting paramedics and found to be only suffering mild frostbite.

Orduno had made a small, crude shelter using the hood of his snowmobile but was unable to maintain a fire. He was off the trail in heavy snow, and due to the circumstances had decided to wait for help.

Search and rescue teams spent Sunday searching for Orduno after 27-year-old Courtney Wood reported the two of them were riding in the area Saturday night and got separated.

Wood told deputies he and Orduno set out from Franklin Basin at 6:00 p.m Saturday. Between two and three hours later, Wood became stuck in deep snow and lost sight of Orduno, who is from Arizona and unfamiliar with the area.

According to deputies, Wood flagged down a motorist in Logan Canyon early Sunday morning asking for help. Teams spent the day looking for Orduno before temporarily suspending their search Sunday night, after heavy snowfall and darkness hampered efforts.

Peck said the sheriff’s office was assisted by search and rescue volunteers from Cache, Rich, Box Elder and Franklin counties.

The Cache County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone in the mountains this time of year to use caution and watch the weather conditions.

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