Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BOULDER CITY, Nev. — An ill-fated scouting trip left one man dead, another severely ill and four Boy Scouts stranded Saturday after being overcome by extreme temperatures at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Lake Mead officials were made aware by the Mohave County Sheriff's Office at about 1:07 p.m. Saturday that four Boy Scouts were lost near the Arizona Hot Springs, in the White Rock Canyon area, about eight miles from Boulder City. Lake Mead NRA Rangers and Fire began conducting a search for the boys.
Two adult men were reported at 2:21 p.m. to have been suffering heat stroke in the same area, according to Lake Mead NRA officials.
Clawson Bowman Jr., a 69-year-old scouting leader from Las Vegas, was discovered dead from a heat-related illness about one mile from the trailhead at 3:21 p.m. The Mohave County Medical examiner will determine his exact cause of death.
"Our sympathies go out to the Bowman family," said Christie Vanover, park spokesperson. "We are thankful that, with the support of around 30 first responders, the others were safely rescued. The boys were very brave this afternoon as they tried to explain their location to our dispatchers."
The boys were very brave this afternoon as they tried to explain their location to our dispatchers.
–Christie Vanover, Lake Mead NRA
The four Boy Scouts communicated via cellphone with recreation area officials until air support from Las Vegas Metropolitan police located them shortly before 5 p.m. They were air-lifted and treated by paramedics at the trailhead.
Shane Calendine, an executive with the Boy Scouts of America, Las Vegas Area Council, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the boys were from a troop with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He did not know to which congregation the boys belonged.
The second male was found in the area at 3:42 p.m. and provided life support until he could be rescued at 5:54 p.m., according to officials.
Temperatures in the Lake Mead area were at or above 110 degrees this weekend, with temperatures in Las Vegas hitting 112 degrees Saturday and breaking the previous June 8 record of 111, set in 1955.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
