UPDATE - Missing family rescued

A Meridian family that went missing in the mountains north of Mountain Home over the weekend were found safe Monday afternoon.

Steven Rice along with his wife and their two sons were located by an Idaho Army National Guard helicopter crew at the Graham Bridge Campground on Forest Service Road 312.

On Monday, the Elmore County Sheriff's Department requested help from the National Guard to aid in the search.

Steven Rice is reunited with his family following his rescue on Tuesday. Rice, along with his wife and their two sons, were located by an Idaho Army National Guard helicopter crew at the Graham Bridge Campground on Forest Service Road 312 after the family went missing on Sunday.

According to Deputy Laytreda Schultz from the Elmore County Sheriff's Department, Rice and his wife, Heather, planned to take their two sons up to the Middle Fork area for a day trip. They were originally expected to return to Meridian by 4 p.m. Sunday, the deputy said.

Once they located the family, the National Guard helicopter crew was able to land and speak with the family. While they reported they were doing well, the family said they stranded in the area because a mudslide had covered the road.

The Apache helicopter used in the search is a two-seat aircraft and couldn't airlift the family out that evening. However, the soldiers left the family with a survival kit, including food, water, cold weather gear and a shelter. On Tuesday, the National Guard launched a mission to rescue the family.

Those involved in the rescue effort included six members from the Elmore County Search and Rescue team along with on-duty sheriff's deputies and fish and game officials.