A hiker was rescued by helicopter Monday night in Kane County after separating from his group while visiting the Wire Pass and The Wave area. Search teams located the man lying on slickrock near the confluence of the Wire and Buckskin Gulch trails as he struggled with dehydration.
Coordinated search efforts launched
The search began around 3 p.m. Monday after members of a hiking group returned to the Wire Pass Trailhead and realized one member had not arrived safely on his own, according to a news release from Kane County Sheriff Search and Rescue. The group contacted Kane County Sheriff's Office dispatch to report the individual missing.
The response involved multiple agencies, including Kane County Sheriff's Office deputies and Bureau of Land Management Rangers, who gathered information at the trailhead. While Intermountain Life Flight was initially requested for an aerial search, the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau helicopter from St. George eventually took over the air operations.
Hiker found near slot canyon
Ground teams from Kane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (KCSAR) tracked the missing hiker's footprints to the edge of the Wire Pass slot canyon. During the night, the DPS helicopter searched through Buckskin Gulch and located the man approximately halfway between the Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch trailheads.
Medical transport and recovery
The flight crew discovered the man in a critical state, noting he was nonverbal and drifting in and out of consciousness. He was loaded into the helicopter and flown to the Wire Pass Trailhead, where Big Water Fire Department personnel provided emergency medical care before Intermountain Life Flight transported him to a hospital for treatment of dehydration and other injuries.
Difficult terrain in wilderness area
The incident occurred in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, a 112,500-acre area that includes the highly regulated Coyote Buttes North, also known as The Wave. According to the Bureau of Land Management, this wilderness area lacks developed trails or facilities and requires visitors to use wayfinding skills to cross challenging terrain.
Strict permit requirements
The Bureau of Land Management notes that a suggested route to The Wave is a strenuous 6.4-mile round-trip hike. Due to the fragile nature of the landscape, visitation to Coyote Buttes North is restricted through a permit system.
Safety warnings issued
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau, Intermountain Life Flight, and Big Water Fire Department for their assistance in the rescue. Officials stated that the outcome could have been different and urged hikers to stay with their groups, carry enough water, and prepare for extreme desert conditions.
