Trapped hikers rescued by air

LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON — Two cold, but otherwise unharmed, hikers were rescued Monday after being forced to spend the night on a ledge in the canyon.

Donald Brewer and Chandler Nunley, both 20 and from Sandy, were carried by a Life Flight helicopter's hoist to safety about 11:15 a.m. after being trapped on a ledge about 900 feet off the ground for about 17 hours.

The inexperienced and unprepared hikers started traversing Gate Buttress hiking trail Sunday morning but became lost on the way down.

"They thought they could find a different way down," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson.

The men ended up on a ledge of a sheer cliff, with no climbing equipment.

They called for help about 6:30 p.m., and initially didn't even know what canyon they were in, he said. When they were found, the decision was made to get them off the mountain at daylight because of safety concerns of trying to pull them off the mountain at night.

Care packages — including blankets, lights, a radio, food and other necessities — were dropped from a Utah Highway Patrol helicopter Sunday night.

"During the night, we just chilled in two blankets, and we kind of cuddled together," Nunley told KSL-TV. "We let each other sleep for 15 minutes each time. And when he was sleeping, I'd just make sure he was all right. We tied a rope to each other that we got from the stuff the helicopter dropped to us. So it was a pretty cold night, and it was crazy. I've never been in one spot for that long."

Four search and rescue personnel were dropped off by helicopter on a ledge about 300 feet above the stranded men about 8:30 a.m. Monday. They hiked down to the men, placing anchors along the way to help them move safely, and by 10:30 a.m., they were working to help the men hike to the pick-up point, Hutson said.

When they reached that point, the medical helicopter performed an extremely technical rescue, lowering a hoist down to the stranded hikers and carrying them out one at a time.

Brewer and Nunley were checked by a paramedic once they reached the ground, but they did not seem to be suffering from any frostbite or hypothermia, Hutson said.

The rescue should serve as a reminder to all backcountry recreationists, Hutson said.

"Prepare for the possibility of sleeping on the mountain, or at least one night in the wilderness," he said. Hikers also need to remember the weather in the canyons is about 20 to 25 degrees cooler than in the valley, Hutson said.

e-mail: preavy@desnews.com