15-year-old girl rescued in Island Park after getting lost in weekend snowmobiling trip

IDAHO FALLS – A 15-year-old girl is grateful to be alive after getting lost on a snowmobile trip over the weekend.

Yazmin Rodriguez was one of two people lost in the backcountry Friday night. On Saturday, EastIdahoNews.com reported they were separate incidents. The first one happened on Reclamation Road east of Ashton.

Shortly after the unnamed rider was located, crews were alerted about another missing rider near Island Park Village. Yazmin and her parents confirm it was her.

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She was found in a cabin about two miles off course after a five-hour search. She and her family returned home to Pocatello Monday morning and Yazmin is still reeling from the experience.

“I feel a lot better. It’s still really scary. Every time I think about what happened, I’m like, ‘How did I even survive?'” Yazmin says.

The trip was a birthday celebration for Yazmin, who officially turned 16 on Monday. Her mom, Amanda Varela, says it’s a birthday she’ll never forget.

“She’s going to have the best sweet 16 story around,” Varela says.

It all started on Thursday afternoon. Yazmin, along with her family and friends — a total of about 15 people — arrived in Island Park around 3 p.m.

They spent the night in a cabin and hit the trails around 8 a.m. the next morning.

After a full day of riding, Yazmin and a friend decided to ride some trails alone. Around 5:30 p.m., Yazmin disappeared.

“My buddy (the friend who was with Yazmin) came back and asked if Yazmin was here,” Ray Barnhill, Yazmin’s stepdad, says. “We’re like, ‘No, she’s supposed to be with you.’ He’s like, ‘We got separated and I can’t find her.'”

Barnhill and other family members got dressed and started looking for her.

Yazmin provides more details about what happened.

She says it was foggy that night. Her friend sped up and she “completely lost him.”

Yazmin turned around to get her bearings and her snowmobile tipped over.

She spent the next 10 minutes trying to flip it over, but was unsuccessful.

“I stayed still for about 10 minutes (hoping my friend would find me),” says Yazmin. “I never saw him so I thought, Maybe he’s at the house. I tried to (walk back) and went the complete opposite direction.”

She walked about two miles and ran into an empty cabin. It was locked, so she broke in.

The cabin Yazmin took refuge in while she was lost. | Courtesy Amanda Varela

Tired and cold, her immediate concern was finding a way to keep warm. She managed to boil some water and pour it on her body before finding a blanket.

Eventually, she found a can of corn tucked away in a cabinet. It provided some nourishment and a slight boost of energy.

At some point that night, she walked back to the overturned snowmobile and left a note.

The notes Yazmin left on the snowmobile. | Courtesy Amanda Varela

She walked back to the cabin and fell asleep on the couch with the blanket wrapped around her.

Around 11:45 p.m., she heard a knock at the door.

“They were knocking really loud and I thought it was the owner (of the cabin) coming to kick me out,” Yazmin says.

But it wasn’t the owner. It was a search party coming to her rescue.

“I was scared. I honestly couldn’t even talk to them. I was just so stunned,” says Yazmin.

Fremont County law enforcement drove Yazmin back to the cabin where her family was staying. She received an emotional greeting from her parents.

“My mom ran out to me and started crying. Everyone was crying and I got hugged by everybody,” she says.

During the search, Barnhill says he was worried sick and collapsed when he found out Yazmin had been found.

Through tears, Varela expresses gratitude that her daughter is safe and for everyone involved in the search.

“Our prayers were answered,” says Varela, crying. “You really find out who the people in your corner are. We thank everyone for everything they did and we’re just grateful that she’s home.”