EMERY COUNTY, Utah — A man had to be rescued Saturday afternoon after falling nearly 30 feet while rappelling in the San Rafael Swell.
In a post to Facebook, the Emery County Sheriff's Office says the incident was first reported to dispatch around 2:30 p.m. via a text-to-911 report. A 33 year-old man had fallen while rappelling in Buckeyes Canyon.
The Emery County Sheriff's Office Search-and-Rescue team, with assistance from Classic Air Medical, and SAR personnel from Goblin Valley, Green River, and Utah State Parks and Recreation, were able to locate the hiker. A DPS helicopter was deployed, lowering an officer via a hoist to lift the injured hiker out of the canyon. That same helicopter would make a second trip to retrieve the hiker's wife and their poodle, who had been secured to the hiker's chest via a dog harness at the time of the accident.
After the rescue, the wife told officers that she had successfully rappelled down the canyon and was waiting for her husband to descend when the bag anchor system failed, causing him to fall. Shortly after it happened, they were able to get the attention of another group that had rappelled down the canyon ahead of them. They made their way to the couple and administered aid until SAR officials arrived.
Fortunately, the hiker had been wearing a helmet and backpack, which the Sheriff's Office says may have helped minimize injuries. He sustained injuries to his wrist and ankle, while the poodle sustained a minor injury to one of its legs, but appears to be doing well.
