UPDATE: Searchers find missing snowmobiler 'OK'

Elmore County Sheriff deputies and Search and Rescue personnel successfully completed a three-day search Tuesday morning for a missing snowmobiler in the Bennett Mountain area northeast of Mountain Home.

Craig Noll, 54, of Boise , was described as "OK," by medical personnel who had arrived with the search team. The man was found by a National Guard helicopter that joined the search Tuesday morning and was airlifted to a hospital for further medical evaluation.

Authorities were notified of three missing snowmobilers at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday and initiated search efforts at 7:19 p.m. that night.

Two of the three snowmobilers made it back to their vehicle by 8:20 p.m.

Noll, who had apparently lagged behind his compatriots, was described as a former Air Force officer with survival skills.

Search efforts were suspended Sunday night due to severe weather conditions and darkness, but resumed Monday morning at dawn.

Authorities searched the rugged country on the back side of the Bennett Mountain area throughout the day, but were often hampered by snow and rain that reduced visibility at times to zero.

At one point it appears Noll attempted to use his cell phone to call from his location. Although the call attempt was unsuccessful, it gave authorities enough information to begin "pinging" his cell phone, helping them narrow down the search area.

The search was called off due to darkness again Monday night and resumed Tuesday morning. The helicopter spotted him shortly after 8:30 a.m. on a high ridge of the north slope of the Little Canyon Creek drainage, at an elevation above 6,900 feet, near the mountain lookout in that area.

Medical personnel aboard the helicopter began treating him immediately, and gave him food, before he was flown out.