Man who went missing between Helena and Lincoln found safe

A man who went missing on a trip to Lincoln Tuesday April 12, was found safe on Stemple Pass, where his truck had slid off the road and gone over a steep embankment.

The 19-year-old man from Clancy was headed to Lincoln to visit his girlfriend but never arrived. A 3 a.m. call prompted a search for him by the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office and Lincoln Fire Rescue. The search began on Flesher Pass, but was delayed because heavy snow prevented a deputy from coming over the pass until plows had cleared it. Lincoln Fire Chief Zach Muse said once the pass was opened they checked for the missing man but weren't able to locate any sign of him there.

Muse said the man's girlfriend said he might have taken Stemple Pass.

Authorities reportedly pinged his cellphone, which appeared to be 10 miles southeast of Lincoln.

Assuming the weather would be worse on Stemple, Muse chose to drive up as far as he could to see if he could find any sign of him while search and rescue began preparing for a search.

"I came around the corner and there he was." Muse said. He immediately called to cancel Search and Rescue "The snow wasn't bad up there. It was only five inches probably, but it was all slick underneath. Coming down one of those turns on this side of the top, he hit the brakes and kept on going."

The truck had gone over the embankment and came to rest upside down, but the man had been wearing his seatbelt. He was shaken up but wasn't injured. Although the man didn't have a jacket and was cold when Muse found him, he had done the right things by staying calm and staying with his vehicle.

"He built a fire and stayed there. If I hadn't found him probably the county plow would have found him in another hour or two," Muse said.

Muse reminded people of some basic rules to keep in mind:

If the weather is bad and you must travel, be sure to pack emergency gear.

Please buckle up. Muse pointed out the man wouldn't have walked away if he hadn't been wearing his seat belt.

If something like this happens, don't wander off. Stay with your rig, whether it's an ATV, car or snowmobile. There are things you can use there, such as gas to start a fire.

Always tell someone where you're going and when you expect to get there.