People Suspicious After Missing Hiker Was Found Roaming The Wilderness In Her Underwear

Image credits: Leo_Visions/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

As the bikers attended to Wayment, three dirt bike riders appeared on the trail. Unlike the Gwinns and Robinson, the bikers were aware of Wayment’s disappearance, and they instantly recognized her.

The group pooled resources to keep Wayment stable. Some shared food and water, while Gwinn and Robinson fought poor service to relay GPS coordinates through an off-road mapping app. 

Image credits: Blaine County Sheriff’s Office

Gwinn was fortunately able to send a message to his wife in Pocatello, who then proceeded to report Wayment’s discovery to Blaine County Search and Rescue.

“At 3:45 p.m. and about 50 messages later, we finally got word that a rescue helicopter was on the way. Technology worked very well in this situation,” Tommy Gwinn said.

Since the safe place for the helicopter to land was in a meadow located about a half mile below the group’s location, one of the dirt bikers took it upon himself to bring Wayment to the helicopter’s landing zone.

Image credits: All Trails

“One of the dirt bike riders lifted her onto the back of his bike and took her down to the awaiting helicopter, saving the rescue crews time,” Robinson said.

Prior to her discovery, the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, aided by Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue and Snake River Search and Rescue, was using canines, drones, and teams on foot, horseback, and bikes in an attempt to locate Wayment.

Wayment’s condition and the circumstances of her discovery are baffling netizens

Image credits: Tim Dennert/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

Wayment was finally airlifted to safety, reuniting with family and bringing the two-day search to a close. Her rescuers called the ordeal “remarkable,” given the harsh nighttime temperatures and difficult terrain.

“This is really rugged country. She was not on a bike path and had to go over numerous mountains to get where she was,” Gwinn said. “It’s remarkable she’s still alive.”

But while her safe return has brought relief, a lot of parts in the story remain confusing. 

Image credits: Leo_Visions/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

Suspicious netizens asked why Wayment left her phone in her car when she knew she would be hiking. Others asked how she wandered so far from the trail. Others also questioned how she ended up in such a vulnerable state.

Gwinn and Robinson, for their part, are just grateful that Wayment was found and rescued.

“We’re super grateful we found her. It’s always in the back of your mind that something could happen and you need to be rescued. It was cool to see how an actual rescue works. I was very impressed,” Robinson stated.

Netizens shared their thoughts on the story of the missing hiker on social media