In a dramatic start to the new year, search and rescue teams in central Arizona carried out an overnight operation to save an injured hiker north of Phoenix. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office was alerted just before 6 p.m. on January 1 about a hiker who had badly hurt his leg after falling from a ledge along Bumble Bee Road, east of Interstate 17 near Black Canyon City.

When rescue crews reached the scene, they found the 55-year-old man suffering from a serious leg injury. Cold temperatures and steady rain created dangerous conditions and raised concerns about hypothermia for both the hiker and first responders. Flooding in the area prevented ground crews from safely removing him, so rescuers stayed with the man overnight, keeping him warm while monitoring his condition.

Due to ongoing weather issues that grounded standard air rescue units, the sheriff’s office requested assistance from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. A Blackhawk military helicopter was deployed, and once conditions improved, crews were able to hoist the hiker to safety around 7:45 a.m. Friday. He was then transferred to medical personnel for treatment.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office also responded to two additional hiking incidents on January 1. A woman who became lost near Blue Tank Wash in Wickenburg was escorted back to her vehicle, while another lost hiker in Sedona was located and safely rescued.

Source: Adapted from “Military helicopter team rescues hiker from trail north of Phoenix,” AZFamily (azfamily.com).