Injured hunter flown off mountain near Layton

LAYTON — A hunter forced to spend the night in Adams Canyon after he slipped and became injured to the point that he couldn't walk, was flown off the mountain Tuesday morning by a Life Flight helicopter.

A group of hunters set off toward Francis Peak Monday afternoon but soon became trapped in bad weather, said Davis County Sheriff's Lt. Brad Wilcox. As the weather continued to get worse, the group became cold and disoriented.

In Adam's Canyon, Jesse Rampton, 24, slipped on a wet rock and hurt his hip, Wilcox said. Another hunter walked down the mountain to reach cell phone range and called for help.

Davis County search and rescue crews arrived at the scene about 6 p.m. By the time they reached the stranded hunter, it was too dark to fly him out, he said. Search crews and at least one other hunter stayed with Rampton through the night, building a fire, giving him an IV and bundling him with blankets.

About 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Life Flight returned and used its hoist to carry the hunter in a basket to a nearby parking lot where an ambulance was waiting. Rampton was taken to a local hospital in fair condition.

 Davis County searchers also rescued a lost husband and wife hiking near Thurston Peak Monday.

Payne said the couple became disoriented in low storm clouds and called for help by cell phone around 5:30 p.m., said Davis County Sheriff's Capt. Kenny Payne. Crews told the couple to hike to the next peak over and were picked up by rescue teams within about two hours.

— Pat Reavy