Two rescued by helicopter after staying overnight on southern Utah trail
Feb 18, 2025, 9:02 PM
(The Department of Public Safety)
(The Department of Public Safety)
IVINS, Washington County — A father and son needed to be hoisted off a ledge by search and rescue crews after staying nearly 13 hours in the wild.
Sgt. Jacob Paul with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s Search and Rescue said that on Sunday evening, crews received a call from a woman who said her 33-year-old husband and 12-year-old son were missing.
The woman told first responders that the father and son went on a hike through Red Mountain Trail starting on the State Route 18 side with plans to pick them up at the Ivin’s exit.
When it came time to pick the two hikers up, Paul said the woman couldn’t find them and called for help.
Search and rescue crews began to search for the hikers by entering each end of Red Mountain Trail. A medical helicopter also joined in the search, but the chopper couldn’t find anything during its flyover.
Paul said crews found a boot print from the shoe the husband was wearing and began tracking the print for about three hours.
As crews called out, they heard the father and son calling back to them. However, crews were unable to find the two because it was too dark.
Search and rescue requested a local Department of Public Safety helicopter to help, but it was under maintenance, meaning the hikers would have to stay the night on the ledge.
Fortunately, Paul said in early January, another similar rescue was called out on that same ledge where someone else needed rescuing.
During that rescue, the juvenile had to throw away a pack containing food, water, blankets, a sleeping bag, and a tent. The boy and father found the pack and were able to use its supplies to stay the night despite it being 30 degrees.
Paul said at approximately 9 a.m. on Monday, a DPS helicopter from Salt Lake City was able to hoist the two from the cliffside and get them to safety.
The father and son were not hurt and declined to be checked out by medical crews.
Search and rescue said the Red Mountain Trail is not marked well and can be hard to navigate.
