An 83-year-old hiker from Kanab, Utah, was rescued Wednesday evening after a day-long search operation in a remote area of the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, National Park Service officials announced Thursday. The search, which utilized helicopters and drones, successfully located the man approximately 2.5 miles from his last known location.
Search Operations Begin
The National Park Service reported that Gerald Guinn became separated from his hiking partner on Tuesday afternoon while trekking in a remote section of the North Rim. The pair were hiking near the northeast boundary along Forest Service Road 610, an area known as Dog Saddle.
Aerial Search Success
The search effort was initiated on Tuesday evening after Guinn was reported missing at approximately 5 p.m. Officials noted that the situation was complicated by the fact that Guinn did not have any hiking gear or camping equipment with him during his excursion.
Search teams continued their efforts through Wednesday, employing advanced technology to cover the rugged terrain. The operation included the use of drones and helicopters to comb the area for the missing Utah resident.
Medical Evaluation and Recovery
The search reached a breakthrough at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, when a helicopter search crew spotted Guinn. He was found roughly 2.5 miles away from the point where he was last seen with his partner.
Following the sighting, the crew flew Guinn to a nearby road. Once on the ground, paramedics evaluated him before he was transported via ambulance to a local hospital. National Park Service officials stated that Guinn arrived at the medical facility in stable condition.
Coordinated Agency Response
The large-scale rescue operation involved a coordinated response from multiple agencies. The search team included personnel from Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino County Search and Rescue, and Kane County Search and Rescue.
