The Grand County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team responded to three incidents in remote areas in just 24 hours last week, officials reported.
On June 30, a woman from Idaho was on her very first mountain bike ride when she suffered an ankle injury on the Big Chief Trail at Dead Horse Point State Park. Search and Rescue responded along with Grand County EMS personnel, transporting the woman to an ambulance at the trailhead on a litter.
A 19-year-old man called for help that night after reaching a “treacherous point on the trail to Castleton Tower” where he felt he could not ascend or descend safely, a report states. First responders were able to find the wayward hiker and guide him down, wrapping up the call deep into the night.
Early Friday afternoon, first responders hiked four miles from Highway 128 to attend to a mountain biker who suffered a shoulder injury on the Porcupine Rim Trail. While the injured biker required a helicopter from Classic Air Medical, the rest of the biker’s friends were reportedly out of water and additional search and rescue members brought water as they descended the trail. SAR officials said the incident took nearly seven hours.
“Safety Tip: All three incidents were in remote areas that take a considerable amount of time for rescuers to access,” a post from GCSAR noted. “Thoroughly research any planned trail. Be realistic about your capabilities. Make sure your fitness and skill level are appropriate if attempting rough trails in Moab’s harsh terrain, especially in the summer heat.”
