Local News
Missing Butte Father and Four Boys Found Safe After Nearly 24-Hour Search North of Town
A family fishing trip turned into a large multi-agency search after a vehicle became disabled in rugged country near Maney Lake.
By Butte News Staff | BUTTE, Montana
BUTTE, Mont. — A Butte father and four boys who disappeared after leaving for an evening fishing trip north of town were found safe Wednesday after a nearly 24-hour search that drew law enforcement, search-and-rescue crews, federal agencies, volunteers and a rescue helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base.
The group was identified in public reports as 40-year-old Paul Klimpel and four boys: Landon Klimpel, 16; Parker Klimpel, 14; Pace Klimpel, 12 or 13 in different reports; and Knox Klimpel, 10.
Authorities said they left Butte around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for a fishing trip north of town and were reported missing after they did not return.
The search ended around 5 p.m. Wednesday when the group was spotted walking along a roadway north of Maney Lake. Officials said their white 2001 Ford Ranger with a black flatbed had become disabled in the backcountry.
All five were transported to safety and taken to a Butte hospital for evaluation.
The Disappearance
The family left Butte Tuesday evening for what was expected to be a routine fishing trip in the mountains north of town. When they failed to return and could not be reached, concern quickly grew among family members, friends and authorities.
Initial search information focused on the Brown’s Gulch, American Gulch, Flume Gulch and Bernice areas. As the search developed, authorities also focused on the area near Maney Lake after cellphone information helped narrow the possible location.
The country north of Butte is rugged, heavily forested in places, and crossed by remote roads where a simple mechanical breakdown can quickly become serious. Cell service can be unreliable, and a disabled vehicle may be difficult to locate from the ground, especially after dark.
Medical Concerns Added Urgency
The search carried added urgency because three of the four boys were reported to have Type 1 diabetes and require insulin. That detail elevated the situation from a missing-person search to a medical concern as the hours passed.
Type 1 diabetes requires careful management, and missed insulin doses can become dangerous. In a backcountry emergency, stress, walking, cold overnight conditions, and limited access to food or medical supplies can increase the risk.
Family friend Courtney Mosier told local media that Paul Klimpel was an experienced outdoorsman, which gave searchers some confidence that the children were with an adult capable of handling an emergency. Still, the medical concerns meant time mattered.
A Large Search Effort Begins
By Wednesday, the search had expanded into a major response involving multiple agencies and volunteers. Searchers worked through back roads, wooded terrain, drainages and lake areas north of Butte.
Agencies reported in the search included the Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff’s Office, 15-90 Search and Rescue, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and responders from surrounding counties including Jefferson, Anaconda-Deer Lodge and Powell counties.
The scale of the response reflected both the size of the search area and the potential medical risk to the children. Crews searched from the ground while aircraft helped scan areas that would be difficult to cover quickly by vehicle or on foot.
Found Near Maney Lake
The breakthrough came Wednesday evening when a rescue helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base spotted the group walking along a roadway north of Maney Lake.
Officials said the Ford Ranger had become disabled, leaving the family stranded in remote country. Rather than remaining stuck indefinitely, the group eventually began walking until they were spotted by the aircraft.
Rescuers on the ground were then able to reach the family and bring them to safety. Authorities said the five were taken to a Butte hospital for evaluation.
Sheriff Praises Coordinated Rescue
Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Ed Lester said the most important outcome was that everyone was found safe.
“We are very happy that everyone is safe. We appreciate the hard work of the rescuers and the coordination among Jefferson, Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Powell, and Silver Bow counties.”
The rescue was a reminder of how quickly a normal outdoor trip can turn into a serious situation in Montana’s backcountry, even for people familiar with the outdoors.
