SALT LAKE COUNTY — Three 19-year-old hikers were rescued from the west slab of Mount Olympus late Saturday night. Fortunately, a break in the storm allowed the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau to perform two separate hoists in order to get the hikers back to safety.
“Those kids were looking for a miracle, and they got one,” said Wayne Bassham, who has been with Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue for more than a decade. “Being on the west slabs is not something for the average person to be on. You can go up but you really can’t go back down, unless you have the rope, the gear and the proper training.”
Salt Lake County SAR volunteers were heading up Mount Olympus on foot and had been working on the rescue missions for hours, when the weather cooperated enough for an aerial rescue of the hikers. Nonetheless, the hikers weren’t prepared for an overnight stay in the elements.
“If you’re not dressed properly for it, it’s a game changer,” said Bassham, who advises people to be prepared as they head out during what's known as the ‘shoulder’ season. “You need to have your summer gear, you need to have your winter gear, you just need to have everything you’ve got in your toolbox.”
Hikers FOX 13 News spoke with on Monday had heard about the rescue over the weekend and are thankful things didn’t end differently.
“I feel bad for them because that could have been serious, I mean to the point of death, it could have been serious,” said Larry Bingham, who hikes in the Bell Canyon area multiple times per week. “The weather in Utah can change dramatically in a short period of time, so you do have to think ahead a little bit. That would be my advice.”
“I always have my emergency blanket, vest, a lot of water, layers — have to have layers — and then traction if I’m going through the snow," said Zac Watne, who said he experienced snowfall in southern Utah this weekend while at Zion National Park.
“Know what the conditions are going to be throughout the day and know that depending on your elevation," advised Daisy DeMarco, who was preparing for a quick hike on Monday evening. "Know that what is happening in Sandy or Cottonwood Heights could be way different than what’s happening at 9,000, 10,000, 11,000 feet.”
Salt Lake County SAR responded to callouts each day from Friday to Sunday.
“We believe a lot of people took off and went for a hike just like normal, and they didn’t look behind them to see the clouds were coming in and the rain was coming in, and they all got caught off guard,” said Bassham. “Think about your next step, think about not only the cause and effect you have with the individuals that are hiking with you, but those individuals that may have to come get you as well.”
