Multiple Rescues Recorded Over Three-Day Period
During the three-day period from Saturday, October 16th, to Monday, October 18th, park SAR personnel responded to numerous incidents, including three helicopter short-haul missions:
- Saturday – The park received a request from Zion NP for assistance in an ongoing technical rescue. Grand Canyon crews worked jointly with Zion SAR personnel in conducting a helicopter short-haul rescue of an injured hiker from Gunsight Canyon.
- Sunday – The park was notified of a private river trip raft stranded on a rock in Nevill’s Rapid. The occupants were short-hauled to the shore; swiftwater rescue personnel then worked through the night to free and salvage the raft. As they were clearing from this incident on Monday, they saw another rafter have the exact same accident. The rafter was rescued by personnel in a rescue Zodiac and a second salvage operation was conducted.
- Monday – Park staff flew by helicopter to Hermit Creek Campground to treat and evacuate a 57-year-old woman in critical condition with stroke-like symptoms. Due to the lack of a safe landing zone anywhere near the campsite, she was short-hauled to a nearby landing zone in open terrain, then flown to a waiting medevac helicopter at the South Rim helibase.
