Stranded hiker rescued after storms washed away gear in Yavapai County wilderness

A hiker was rescued Saturday morning in Yavapai County after recent rainstorms flooded local creeks, sweeping away his essential camping and survival gear and leaving him stranded in the remote wilderness.

Deputies with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call Friday reporting a hiker in need of help near Sheep Bridge, located off Bloody Basin Road north of Cave Creek.

The man had been out in the wilderness for seven days when rising waters from recent rainstorms caught him off guard during creek crossings. The strong currents carried away key survival equipment, authorities said.

Just before his cellphone battery died, the hiker managed to send out a final message for help, triggering a search response from worried family members and local law enforcement.

Because rescuers did not have his exact coordinates, the YCSO Aviation Team, YCSO Forest Patrol and Yavapai Search and Rescue volunteers spent hours scouring the rugged terrain.

Early Saturday morning, crews aboard the Rescue 1 helicopter spotted the missing hiker from the air.

Search teams located the man exhausted, scratched up and pushed to his physical limits, authorities said, but officials reported he was otherwise healthy.

Following the rescue, the sheriff’s office issued a reminder for outdoor enthusiasts planning trips into the backcountry to know their physical limitations, monitor trail conditions closely and check updated weather forecasts before hitting the trail.

Related

Casa Grande approves 954-acre data center after county denies similar projectsSAFE Alert canceled after 88-year-old Phoenix woman locatedTraffic stop leads police to alleged robbery victim with gunshot wound in PhoenixNWS confirms multiple tornadoes touched down in northern Arizona, including 1 near PrescottGas prices drop over 10 cents in Arizona despite higher than usual October costsWrong-way driver arrested after hitting Scottsdale police officer on bicycle