CEDAR CITY – A northern Utah man was airlifted to the hospital Saturday after he had been rock climbing and fell around 15 to 20 feet, authorities said.
Iron County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and Ropes teams both responded to the 911 call at around 2 p.m. on reports an Orem man in his mid-20s had fallen from the side of a mountain near Kanarraville Falls.
He was airlifted to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George in stable condition. The severity of his injuries have not been related to authorities as this report publishes.
Iron County Sheriff Deputy Tony Gower, who helped on scene, said the man had been waiting to reunite with his party of five that he had been hiking with during the day. When he began climbing up the mountain to some nearby caves, he fell. Authorities are unsure what caused the fall.
“We’re not sure whether it was slippery and he fell or he ran out of space and in trying to maneuver fell backwards or he could have just lost his footing,” Gower said. “We’re just not sure.”
Several people walking by stopped to help and kept him from moving until authorities could arrive.
“It’s a good thing he didn’t move because it could’ve paralyzed him,” Gower said. “The people with him kept him still. Then we had to figure out a way to carry him out without moving him either because we didn’t want to move him at all.”
The Life Flight helicopter was unable to land where the man was located so emergency teams carried him out of the slot canyon and into town. The walk was several miles Gower said, but he wasn’t exactly sure how far.
report and photo gallery follow below
Authorities respond to several accidents in and around Kanarraville Falls every summer. The most common injury is hikers rolling their ankle as they cross the water but some injuries have been far more serious.
“Hikers just need to know what they’re doing and what they’re getting into before they get in there,” Gower said. “It’s a fun hike but people really need to be prepared. There’s no way to do the hike without getting wet so just dress accordingly and have the proper shoes on for the hike, otherwise it really can be dangerous.”
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Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News When a man fell from an area in the Kanarraville Falls trail, Sheriff's Deputy Tom Gower said, he reported hearing a “pop” and feeling severe pain in his back. Kanarraville Falls, Kanarraville, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man a few miles out of Kanarraville Falls from an area inaccessible to the Life Flight medical helicopter that then transported him to Dixie Regional medical Center in St. George. Kanarraville, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George News / Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man a few miles out of Kanarraville Falls from an area inaccessible to the Life Flight medical helicopter that then transported him to Dixie Regional medical Center in St. George. Kanarraville, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News Iron County Sheriff's Search and Rescue and Ropes teams work together to carry an injured man out of Kanarraville Falls, Utah, July 16, 2016 | Photo courtesy of Iron County Sheriff's Office St. George/Cedar City News
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I love the search and rescue people. They need a fundraiser. #fundraiser
Yeah . They do a good job and provide a very important service two the community !
Fundraiser@ifthatsBoboutthereweaintgoing !