A Berthoud teen is home safe after going missing in the mountains for more than 20 hours last week.

Courtesy photo – Members of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Posse joined the search for the Berthoud teen Thursday morning and found Spencer just before 2 in the afternoon. Spencer was escorted on horseback out of the mountains and to the trailhead.

Spencer Hallman was on a backpacking trip in the Rawah Wilderness in remote Larimer County with a group from his church Wednesday, July 13 when he found himself turned around after walking a short distance to a water source.

The group leader sent an SOS signal from a GPS device shortly after 9 p.m. that evening and the GPS company contacted LCSO communications.  The group leader reported the boy was last seen around 4:30 p.m. not far from their campsite.  The group searched for the boy and sent the SOS signal when they could not find him.

The search location was a 6.2-mile hike northwest of the West Branch Trailhead on County Road 103 in the Laramie River Valley.  The search began as night descended and was conducted by UCHealth LifeLine using thermal imaging and night vision, but Spencer was not located.

Before sunrise Thursday morning, teams began hiking in to search for Spencer.  Searchers include LCSO Emergency Services and deputies, LCSO Posse, Larimer County Search and Rescue including a dog team, Diamond Peaks Ski Patrol, and UCHealth LifeLine.  LCSO also requested assistance from Civil Air Patrol and Colorado Search and Rescue Association for dog teams and an additional 30 ground personnel. According to LCSO there were also multiple other search and rescue agencies from around the state preparing to assist that were called off.

At approximately 1:53 p.m. Thursday afternoon, searchers located Hallman, tired, covered in bug bites and dehydrated, but otherwise safe. He was escorted out of the wilderness area on horseback by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Posse. He was found off the trail, approximately 5 miles from the West Branch Trailhead.