Hiker slips on icy mountain trail, slides 100 feet into frozen bush, Nevada rescuers say
A pair of hikers were rescued after one fell down an icy trail on a Nevada mountain, officials say.
The pair were trekking toward the peak of Mount Charleston on Thursday, Nov. 28, when one slipped, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Search and Rescue said in an Instagram post.
The hiker slid down about 100 feet “before coming to rest in a frozen bush,” rescuers said.
While the hikers were “experienced and adequately equipped,” the trail was “incredibly” icy from recent weather, rescuers said.
After they were lowered by helicopter, two rescuers “made their way to the hikers,” officials said.
.jpeg "bushrescue_fitted (1).jpeg")
The hiker who was still on trail was hoisted from the area, rescuers said.
Using their axes, the rescuers anchored themselves in the ice, then one of them rappelled down toward the injured hiker, officials said.
While medically assessing the hiker, rescuers said they learned the hiker had broken their ankle during their fall.
Rescuers splinted the hiker’s ankle before they were hoisted alongside a rescuer from the mountain.
Then, the other rescuer was also airlifted, officials said.
A ground ambulance took the injured hiker to a nearby hospital, rescuers said.
Mount Charleston is about a 40-mile drive northwest from Las Vegas.
“Charleston Peak is the highest mountain in the Spring Mountain Range” with an elevation of 11,918 feet, according to the hiking website Las Vegas Area Trails.
This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 9:32 AM with the headline "Hiker slips on icy mountain trail, slides 100 feet into frozen bush, Nevada rescuers say."
