An 83-year-old man who failed to return from a hike inside the Grand Canyon National Park was safely rescued after an all-night search, Arizona officials said on social media Saturday.
A Utah hiker who went missing near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was found alive after an extensive search involving drones, dogs, ground crews and a helicopter. The man, identified by the National Park Service as Gerald Guinn, had been hiking with another person around 12:30 p.m. on July 21, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. The pair were in a remote area along the edge of the Kaibab National Forest when they separated to look for a nearby historic object. Guinn did not return to meet the other hiker.
National Park Service
After searching the area for several hours without finding him, the other hiker called for assistance. Kane County Search and Rescue crews launched an overnight operation, deploying drones and search dogs, but the effort did not immediately locate Guinn.
By the following morning, Grand Canyon National Park Service personnel had taken command of the search, the sheriff’s office said. The operation expanded to include a helicopter and additional ground teams. Kane County search and rescue members later returned to help continue the search that afternoon.
A break came in the early afternoon when the National Park Service received a cellphone ping that helped narrow Guinn’s possible location. The signal shifted the search area east, where an NPS helicopter soon spotted him. Guinn was alert enough to wave at the pilot from the ground.
Because the rugged terrain prevented the helicopter from landing, a Kane County Search and Rescue team was sent in on foot to reach Guinn, assess his condition and stabilize him. Rescuers reported that he was “in good spirits, just cold, and non-ambulatory.” They gave him fluids and warm layers before preparing to move him out.
Getting Guinn back to safety required a major effort. A Kane County team, assisted by a paramedic, carried him toward the road while clearing fallen logs and marking hazards along the way. About 20 people were involved in the evacuation. Once they reached the road, Kane County emergency medical personnel examined Guinn, cleared him and released him. The rescue concluded at 1:30 a.m., roughly a day and a half after his hike began.
