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Sam Penrod Reporting"I was looking for a little adventure and got a little more than I bargained for."
That's how a skier described his two nights stranded in the mountains, when rescuers found him this morning.
Levi Nelson, Skier: "I would have been happy to have just walked out and had no fanfare about it."
But Levi Nelson was relieved to see searchers had found him, after being stranded in the mountains above Cedar City for two nights and beginning to wonder if he was going make it.
Levi Nelson is doing great, considering what he's been through. He was cold and tired, but did not suffer any frostbite, thanks to being somewhat prepared.
When Levi Nelson spent Monday night without being able to get off the mountain, he was confident he was prepared for a night in the mountains. But yesterday afternoon, after walking all day through a snowstorm without being able to get help, he became very worried.
Levi Nelson: "Last night, right when the sun went down cause I could see the end of my trail, there was a 50 foot cliff between me and there."
It was a much colder night because this time Nelson could not build a fire as he did the night before.
Levi Nelson: "My matchbox got wet and so I made a snowcave."
This morning, Nelson was found by the UHP Helicopter, which spotted his tracks in the fresh snow.
Larry Nelson, Father: "We're tickled to have him back. He's cold, but I think he is going to be all right."
Penelope Nelson, Mother: "He is a good survivor and the Lord blessed us and blessed him that he would be here for us. We love him very much and care very much for him."
For searchers it was a happy ending to a search they feared would not be successful.
Charlie Morris, Iron County Search & Rescue: "There is probably not a rougher part of real estate in Iron County that this individual could have gone through. It's bad to hike through there when it is warm and dry."
And after a close call, Nelson says he learned his lesson for future adventures.
Levi Nelson: "Make sure that my route is more solid and so people know exactly where I am."
Nelson used the popular program Google Earth to scout out where he was going to ski. He says now it was much rougher than it looked.
