RAPID CITY, S.D. – Search and rescue personnel located two snowmobilers Wednesday afternoon after they were labeled as missing when they didn’t return from a trip Tuesday evening.
Authorities had said Leon Kleingartner and Laurence Willett, both 73 years old, were last seen Tuesday morning at the Black Fox Campground, less than eight miles from Rochford. They were due to return by dusk and had left their phones at home.
A search and rescue team began searching for the duo Tuesday night. Resources searched several miles of snowmobile trails through the night with no sign of the missing men. On the morning of March 8th, mutual aid was requested from other agencies, and a command and staging post was created at the Rochford Volunteer Fire Department.
After hours of searching, the two sleds were located around noon in the area of Forest Service Roads 117 and 279, without the riders. Searchers converged on the area and both men were located after they had walked away from their sleds to find help.
Each of the men were evaluated by medical personal and did not have any life-threatening injuries.
***THIS IS AN UPDATE TO OUR PREVIOUS STORY BELOW***
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office says they and Search and Rescue officials are searching the Rochford area for two missing snowmobilers.
In a social media post, the sheriff’s office said Leon Clinegartner and Jeff Willett, both in their 70’s, hadn’t been seen since Tuesday afternoon.
Officials say the two men were last seen heading west on Telegraph Gulch Rd. One snowmobile is orange with a long sled, and the other is lime green. Both are 2014 Artic Cats. One man was last seen wearing black bibs, and the other in a dark snowsuit.
Officials at Pennington County Sheriff’s Office are asking civilians for help: “We are asking for help from civilian snowmobilers in the search for the two missing men from yesterday. If you are able to help, please check in at the Rochford Volunteer Fire Department PRIOR to going out on your own. Weather is expected to deteriorate, and we want to make sure all assets are accounted for. We ask all volunteers to check in before noon.”
