A hiker sustained a debilitating lower-leg injury following a ground-level fall on the Pipeline Trail in Millcreek Canyon's Rattlesnake Gulch area on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, according to a Salt Lake County Sheriff Search and Rescue statement.
The individual was hiking with dogs when the incident occurred and was unable to hike out of the area on their own.
Unified Fire arrived first on the scene at 2:02 p.m. to provide a medical evaluation and stabilize the patient's leg using a vacuum splint. A drone team assisted the operation by pinpointing the patient's exact location due to spotty cell service in the canyon.
Because of the steep terrain on a secondary trail, rescue teams used a Megamover transfer tarp to lower the patient to the main Pipeline Trail. Once on the main trail, the patient was transferred to a wheeled litter.
SAR and UFA teams then transported the patient down the newly constructed Rattlesnake Gulch Trail to a parking lot, where they were taken by ambulance to a local hospital for further treatment. The operation concluded at 4:32 p.m.
Officials noted that temperatures dropped quickly as the sun went down during the operation. They suggested that hikers carry extra layers and a headlamp to prepare for rapid temperature changes in the canyon.
