GRAND COUNTY, Utah – First responders in Utah were tasked with rescuing three hikers that were rimrocked at a popular national park in Moab.
Crews have responded to a handful of tricky rescues for people stranded in remote parts of Grand County over the past few days.
Being rimrocked means you’re stuck in a difficult situation with no easy way forward or back.
The hikers, who were visiting Corona Arch, got lost in the dark while trying to return to the trailhead. Due to unfamiliar terrain, low visibility and slick winter conditions, the trio became rimrocked and chose to sit and call for help.
A search and rescue team quickly located the group’s headlamps and safely led them down the trail with no further issues.
“Winter days are short and darkness will come quickly,” officials said. “Even if you are not planning to be out after dark, pack a light source with you.”
But that wasn’t the only rescue that took place in the area this past weekend. A motorcycle rider was injured in an empty area of the county called Nash Wash, where the motorcyclist sustained injuries and needed a medical helicopter to airlift them.
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In addition, a person had been hiking at Picture Frame Arch when they slipped on snow and ice covering the area while trying to descend the trail, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.
There were a couple of factors that made this rescue difficult: the rugged terrain and slick winter conditions made it particularly hard, especially with nightfall quickly approaching.
Picture Frame Arch with streaks of desert varnish in the Entrada Sandstone of Lone Rock Butte near Moab, Utah.
(Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Due to the remote location of the incident and the distance to the nearest hospital, a medical helicopter was utilized to transport the patient.
“Patient access was made more difficult by icy conditions on a steep sandstone slope,” officials from the Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue said.
Rescue teams say you should always have some way to call for help and make sure someone knows where you are and when to expect you back. Staying prepared could be the difference between life and death.
