hoodoo
Credit: Grand County Sheriff

Utah Authorities Rescue Injured Man Trapped on Hoodoo

The man was stranded on a hoodoo with a “catastrophic drop on all sides."

Utah authorities had to get creative to rescue an injured 60-year-old man stranded on a hoodoo with a "catastrophic drop on all sides" earlier this month. According to a news release, a Grand County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team created a bridge using a ladder and some ropes to get to the man.

In the release, the department said the rescue happened on May 4 at Pucker Pass in Long Canyon, which is a trail near Moab, Utah, when the victim injured his ankle. A rescuer roped in and used a ladder to cross a five-foot gap between a cliff and the hoodoo. Then, he secured the man with a harness, helmet, and ropes and helped him crawl back across.

hoodoo

Credit: Grand County Sheriff Office

hoodoo

Credit: Grand County Sheriff Office

Exactly how the man was injured is unclear. Pucker Pass is a high mountain pass with an elevation of 5,849 feet. It connects with the 15-mile Long Canyon, which is typically used for off-road vehicles but people do hike it.

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