Jared Ropelato, the 12-year-old Boy Scout who became lost during a wilderness outing in Utah’s Ashley National Forest, has returned safely home, the Huffington Post is reporting. While he was scared, he knew to build a shelter made of tree branches and wood and cover himself in dirt to survive the cold night.

The Boy Scouts taught Ropelato to make a lean-to to remain warm in the event that he did become lost. The weather in the forest dropped to 31 degrees, Daggett County sheriff’s spokeswoman Karen Peterson said. He survived the night, despite only wearing jeans and a shirt and not having any food or water. Peterson praised Ropelato’s decision to build the lean-to, saying it was good thinking and saved him from the elements.

Ropelato had become lost while walking by himself back to camp from a nearby lake. He walked a total of eight or nine miles before searchers on ATV’s found him on August 13, almost 21 hours after he disappeared. The biggest scare for the Boy Scout came when he encountered a bull moose. He also fell into a river when he resumed walking after he slept in the lean-to.

Ropleato had been advised by a Scoutmaster to walk with another Scout from the lake back to camp after finding him walking in the wrong direction. However, he never got a buddy to walk with, Peterson said.

Written by: Karen Benardello