PRIEST LAKE - Apart from the memory of a cold, exhausting evening in the woods, two missing boys are unharmed after being located by search crews.

The two 14-year-olds are back safe and sound with their families after getting lost during a camping trip. Rescue officials aren't releasing the teens' identities.

An all-night effort by Priest Lake Search and Rescue members ended successfully just before they were scheduled to be relieved by search and rescue parties from Bonner and Boundary counties. Bob Abbott, public information officer for PLSR, said the happy ending came as pain-free as possible. The weather worked in their favor and the terrain was easily navigable.

"Honestly, they usually don't go this smoothly," he said. "All the different elements cooperated to make this easier on us."

According to Abbott, the trouble began Monday about 7:30 p.m. during a family camping trip. The boys were fishing with their father about 25 miles north of the Priest Lake airport when they spotted a deer running into the woods. After chasing it into the forest, the two became disoriented and failed to find their way back to the campsite.

"My guess is that they ended up walking in circles," Abbott said.

After becoming concerned when the boys didn't return, the family contacted authorities. Within a couple hours, search members were on the scene. The search lasted throughout the evening, and just before the team's 12-hour shift concluded, a group of search and rescue workers stumbled across the boys on a road at 8:30 a.m.

"They were cold, wet, tired, scared and hungry - and also very lucky," Abbott said.

Although the boys continued moving around the region, an action that many search and rescue officials discourage, Abbott said the decision might have worked in their favor. He said that when lost, following a waterway downhill or a road is a good means of finding help on your own.

"If there are roads in the area, that's definitely not an unreasonable thing to do," he said.

Abbott said the successful search serves as a timely reminder to be prepared for all outcomes while in the wild. While it's important to keep food, plenty of water and dry clothing on hand at all times, not panicking in a tricky situation is even more critical.

"I'm guessing those boys didn't panic last night," Abbott said. "They were definitely thinking straight when they found that road and decided to follow it.

"This is one of those searches where everything went right," he said.