New York man rescued after hitting heavy snow during Arizona Trail hike
Mar 16, 2021, 2:30 PM
(Coconino County Sheriff's Office Photo)
(Coconino County Sheriff's Office Photo)
PHOENIX – A New York man hiking along the Arizona Trail was rescued after unexpectedly getting stranded in deep snow 12 days into his trek, authorities said.
The 41-year-old started his excursion in Superior on March 2 and had been camping out along the way, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a press release.
He was well-prepared for the long-distance hike but hadn’t planned for the extreme weather he hit in Coconino National Forest, according to the release.
He’d reached the General Springs Cabin on the Mogollon Rim, about 110 miles north of his starting point, when he realized he couldn’t safely continue and called for help.
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The cabin is located off a forest service road north of Payson that’s closed to traffic because of the winter conditions.
Coconino County Search and Rescue Units out of Flagstaff set out to find the man, using snowmobiles and a snowcat, a truck-like vehicle with a tank-like track designed for snowy terrain.
The rescuers found the man at the cabin in good condition. They transported him to State Route 87 and then got him a ride into Payson.
The Arizona Trail is an 800-mile path that spans the state from Mexico to Utah.
