Hiker stranded for 2 nights rescued
Published: March 17, 2005
A hiker stranded for two nights in the Superstition Mountains was rescued Thursday morning by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
The 55-year-old man, who has a history of back problems, was hiking with Tuesday two friends when he was overwhelmed by pain and unable to continue walking, said Lt. Paul Chagolla, a sheriff’s spokesman.
“He just could not walk out of there. It was very remote and rugged terrain,” he said.
One friend hiked out Wednesday and sought help, Chagolla said. Volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office Mountain Rescue Posse spent the night with the man when it became too dark for a Mesa police helicopter to safely attempt an aerial rescue.
Fox 1, a sheriff’s office helicopter, returned to the remote area near Torilla Flats Thursday morning and completed the dramatic aerial rescue.
A stokes basket connected to a long line was lowered to the ground. The man was loaded into the basket, pulled into the helicopter and flown to a Valley hospital for treatment, Chagolla said. The man appeared to be in good condition.
“He’s very fortunate this wasn’t the summertime,” when soaring heat can prove fatal, Chagolla said. The hiker’s name was not immediately available.
The number of rescues is likely to increase as summer approaches and temperatures rise, authorities say. They warn hikers to pack plenty of water and to avoid hikes beyond their physical limitations.
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