Boy Scout Jared Ropelato, 12, Missing in Utah

Aug. 12, 2011 — -- Officials hope a Boy Scout missing in the Utah wilderness can find a safe place to hunker down overnight after at least 20 searchers failed to locate him in Ashley National Forest on Friday.

Jared Ropelato, 12, of Hooper, Utah, went missing Friday around noon local time as his troop fished in an area near Utah's Spirit Lake and Daggett Lake, according to a search official and ABC 4 News in Salt Lake City.

At last count, 20 people were searching for Ropelato, Karen Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Daggett County Sheriff's Office in Manila, Utah, told ABC News Radio Friday evening.

She believed it was possible another 15-20 searchers could be added late Friday. If the search continued into Saturday, she said, local officials would welcome more assistance.

The terrain where Ropelato went missing is rough and accessible only on foot or by horse, she said, but if he remains on the trails he should be able to be located.

The temperature in the area has been around 80 degrees during the day and in the low 60s at night, she said.