A man in his 60s with an injured ankle was assisted by Grand County EMS and Grand County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Saturday after he became stranded on a hoodoo.
According to a social media post from EMS, the call came in about 3:10 p.m. Crews were dispatched to Pucker Pass in Long Canyon.
When they got there, SAR rigged ropes and a ladder to bridge the roughly 5-foot gap separating them from the hoodoo.
EMT Allison Jensen crawled across the ladder after putting on personal protective and medical gear. She put the man in a harness and placed a helmet on his head before tending to his injury.
The man was able to use the ladder. The operation took over two and a half hours to complete.
(Photos courtesy of Grand County EMS) Rescue workers perched on a hoodoo in Long Canyon.
EMS thanked SAR “for their leadership, technical skills, and unparalleled creativity to access the patient.”
The agency also offered sound advice to anyone thinking about doing something similar: “As we head into another beautiful weekend here in Moab, remember — just ‘cause you saw a picture of it online, doesn’t always mean it’s the best idea. Stay safe out there …”
-Doug McMurdo
This story was first published by The Times-Independent.