Utah hiker rescued after canyon fall traps him overnight

The stranded hiker on a stretcher after being rescued. (Fox 13)

Hikers and climbers in Utah's Little Cottonwood Canyon Sunday encountered an injured man who told them he had hurt himself in a series of falls and had spent the night weak, dehydrated and unable to leave the area on his own.

Lt. John Barker with the Unified Police Department said the 43-year-old male became stranded in the canyon overnight after suffering injuries from a 30-foot fall.

"It could be pretty scary," he said. "It could get cold, and if you're by yourself you wonder if you're going to survive."

The man was hiking in the Gate Buttress area at the time.

"I think he's banged up pretty bad, and then I think he was dehydrated and just flat wore out," he said.

He said the victim decided to wait until daylight to attempt to hike out. However, on Sunday morning Lt. Barker said the man fell again.

The hikers and climbers who encountered the man found him sometime Sunday morning. They offered assistance and called for help.

"It's a very popular climbing area, so there are several other citizens that have came across him this morning and are with him giving him aid," said Lt. Todd Griffiths of the Unified Police Department. "With their help, they've been able to vector search and rescue people to him."

Search and rescue personnel initially got the call around 2:30 p.m., and hiked up to the man on the trail. While at first it appeared they'd attempt to hike down, it proved too strenuous.

"Rough terrain, and then storms kept coming in and out," Lt. Barker said.

Ultimately crews used a Life Flight helicopter to hoist him out of the area.

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