2 stranded hikers spend the night near Willard Peak in Box Elder County

Published: Saturday, Sept. 8 2012 9:28 p.m. MDT

Summary

Two hikers are spending the night on a cliff near the city of Willard in Box Elder County after rescue attempts Saturday evening failed. The two 40-year-old hikers, from Salt Lake, are stuck on one of three peaks east of Willard on an 8,500 foot cliff. One of the hikers appears to have serious injuries.

WILLARD — Two hikers are spending the night on a cliff near the city of Willard in Box Elder County after rescue attempts Saturday evening failed.

The two 40-year-old hikers, from Salt Lake, are stuck on one of three peaks east of Willard on an 8,500 foot cliff. One of the hikers appears to have serious injuries.

Lifelight can't hoist them off because it's too vertical of a cliff," Box Elder County Sheriff Lynn Yates said. "The people are unable to get off the side of the mountain by themselves, one of them was reportedly seriously injured with possibly two broken legs."

Yeates described the rescue as technical because the rescuers are unable to reach the stranded hikers from below.

The search for the hikers was called off at 8:15 p.m. Saturday for safety reasons. Lifeflight is expected to drop search-and-rescue teams off at 6 a.m. at 9,000 feet to hike down to the men.

Yeates said it probably took the men four to five hours to hike to where they were stranded. The uninjured hiker called dispatch at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Twitter: @FinleyJY

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