PRESCOTT — A hiker who lost his survival gear to flooded creeks in a remote part of Yavapai County was rescued by helicopter Saturday morning, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said, according to KTAR News.
Deputies got a call Friday about a hiker in trouble near Sheep Bridge, off Bloody Basin Road north of Cave Creek. The man had been in the wilderness for seven days when rain-swollen creeks caught him during crossings and the current carried off key equipment.
He sent one last message for help before his cellphone battery died, prompting his family to alert authorities. Without exact coordinates, the sheriff’s aviation unit, forest patrol deputies and Yavapai Search and Rescue volunteers spent hours combing rugged terrain.
The crew of the Rescue 1 helicopter spotted him early Saturday. Rescuers said he was exhausted and scratched up but otherwise healthy. The sheriff’s office urged backcountry visitors to know their limits and check trail conditions and forecasts before heading out.
Sources: KTAR News, Arizona’s Family. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: BLMArizona / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
