From Deseret News archives:

3 hikers are airlifted to safety

Trio spent night stuck on cliff in Provo Canyon

Published: Friday, Nov. 24, 2006 10:59 p.m. MST
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PROVO — Three hikers who spent Thanksgiving night stuck on a cliff in Provo Canyon were airlifted to safety Friday morning.

"It's a miracle we are alive," rescued hiker Caleb Barnes told KSL-TV. "(We had) a lot of close calls of rock slides. My buddy smashed his finger. I caught a few rocks on the head. We're lucky, very lucky."

One by one, a Life Flight helicopter hoisted a 17 year-old-boy and two 19-year-old men from Cascade Mountain Friday morning at about 10 a.m. The men were in good condition and were released after being rescued from the mountain, a Utah County sheriff's dispatcher said.

After spending 5 1/2 hours free-climbing in the area about a half-mile west of Bridal Veil Falls, the men reached a spot where they could neither climb down nor retrace their path back up the mountain. They called for help on a cell phone just before dark.

The area where the hikers were located was too dangerous in the dark for searchers to reach on foot or a helicopter to land because of its steep terrain.

The hikers spent Thursday night crowded around a fire in a small cave.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Hodgson said Thursday the group had some food and equipment and enough clothing to survive the cold.

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He said hikers often get stranded, taking a wrong turn or getting themselves stuck. He advised hikers to know their route before setting out on a trail.

On Friday, Hodgson said that the men did make some good decisions by staying put and calling for help on the phone.

"But they made a bad choice in trying to go up a route they were unfamiliar with," he said.

The hikers are from California and said they were drawn to Provo Canyon because of its beauty.

But after a long night, they said that their next stop on their way home to California is the Grand Canyon but they wouldn't be doing any hiking — just sightseeing.


Contributing: Rosalie Westenskow, Sam Penrod, KSL-TV

E-mail: asnyder@desnews.com

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The second of three rescued hikers is escorted by Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Hodgson, right. The three hikers were visiting from California.

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