ALTA, Utah, Oct. 4, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Search and rescue crews assisted a “cliffed out” hiker on Devil’s Castle in Alta on Friday.
Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue was called out at noon to help with a hiker that got off-route while attempting the Devil’s Castle traverse, said a Facebook post.
“They wandered a little onto the north side of the ridge and soon found their path blocked by snow and ice from the recent storm,” the post said. “Three SAR teams were deployed and were able to bring the hiker back to the ridge where they were able to walk out on their own.”
“Cliffed out” means the hiker is in such a technical area that they can neither go up nor down.
The hiker was with a partner that stayed on the ridge and was able to guide teams to the right place, and was well-dressed for the cooler weather.
The rescue took five-and-a-half hours total.
“This is a good reminder that as we get into the fall we are going to start to see snow and ice in the high country,” the post said. “This can make the easiest trail or scramble a luge run. Proper gear such as micro spikes, warm clothes, and a light source need to be carried as the days get cooler and shorter.”
