Zion National Park (UT) Rescue of Boy Scout from The Narrows
On the evening of Friday, August 19th, Zion dispatch received a report that a 15-year-old Boy Scout was suffering from hypothermia in the Narrows. Through-hiking the Narrows involves 16 miles of river walking in the Virgin River in the bottom of a narrow slot canyon. The Boy Scout was reported to be with two physicians/leaders who believed that the he was unable to complete the hike. The report indicated that the boy was two hours hiking time from the trailhead at the end of the route. A medic and a raft carryout team headed into the Narrows after dark. The leaders were not visible from the primary route through the Narrows, so the carryout team did not locate the boy until 2 a.m. Rangers spent the night with the boy, then floated him to the trailhead by raft the following day. He was found to be suffering from rhabdomyalysis, a rare muscular disorder which can be exercise induced. [Submitted by Ray O’Neil, IC]
Zion National Park (UT) Rescue of Injured Canyoneer
On August 20th, following the rescue of a Boy Scout from the Narrows of the Virgin River, the park received word of a climbing accident requiring a rescue operation. A 32-year-old canyoneer was down-climbing a short drop in Englestead Canyon when a 100-pound rock peeled off and landed on his sandal-clad foot. The canyoneer suffered a mostly amputated big toe along with several foot fractures. The experienced members of his group completed the route and reported the injury to Zion dispatch, leaving three inexperienced and unprepared canyoneers with the victim. The Englestead Canyon route begins in Kane County, outside Zion National Park, and is completed within the park boundary. The route involves about 10 rappels, including a 300-foot rappel to enter the canyon. The park consulted with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and agreed to conduct the rescue. The victim was found a quarter-mile outside the park during a recon flight. Rescuers were flown to the rim of the canyon and park medic Kevin Killian was lowered 600 feet to his location. Killian and the patient were raised to the rim during the night. The rim of the canyon was ledgy and choked with oak brush, so a short haul was completed with the Grand Canyon short haul team on the morning of August 21st. The patient was delivered to a hospital in late morning. Two rangers assisted the three unprepared canyoneers through the remainder of the canyon. [Submitted by Ray O’Neil, IC ]