Lost snowmachiner rescued

BUTTE — A snowmachiner missing overnight in the Jim Creek area was rescued Tuesday morning, Alaska State Troopers report.

Troopers started looking for Caleb Bennett, 26, of Palmer, Monday evening at about 7:26 p.m. after receiving reports his snowmachine had broken down and he needed help.

That first night, troopers said, poor weather grounded their search helicopter. So troopers went in on the ground, with a search team including one of Bennett’s friends and members of the Butte Fire Department.

Searchers scoured the woods, some on snwomachines and six-wheelers, but could not located Bennett. At 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, troopers went back out to search.

Shortly after noon, Alaska Wildlife Troopers on snowmachines heard Bennett calling for help.

By then the troopers’ helicopter had been able to launch. Through coordination with wildlife troopers on the ground, the chopper was able to find Bennett in the Hunter Creek area and lift him to safety.

Bennett was taken to Palmer Airport and then to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for treatment of hypothermia and severe frostbite. Troopers report he was in stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon.