Crew Hoists Injured Jumper After Two-Hour Effort

A BASE jumper stranded on a canyon face near Moab, Utah, was pulled to safety this week in a social media viral rescue. The jumper’s parachute became tangled on the rock at Kane Creek, leaving him suspended hundreds of feet above the ground until first responders arrived.

Grand County Emergency Services said the call came in around 1 pm on Wednesday, November 12. Reaching the jumper wasn’t a simple task, meaning crews weren’t able to make contact until about 3:15 pm. A responder was lowered from a helicopter to access the site, working against wind that continued to drag the snagged parachute along the canyon wall. The hoist operation finally wrapped up around 4 pm, with the jumper moved to a designated landing zone and treated for moderate injuries. His identity has not been released.

"While yesterday's incident gained public attention because it was visible from town — these types of rescues are exactly what we train for and do on a pretty regular basis," Grand County EMS wrote in a social media post. "It’s a privilege to serve this community alongside such dedicated professionals, and to bring people home safely."

The complete, nearly 20-minute rescue video was originally posted to Facebook by Ashley Corbin. It shows the helicopter hovering close to the cliff as the rescuer descends to the stranded jumper. According to the Grand County Sheriff’s Department, the operation ended without further complications.

Moab BASE Access, a local nonprofit, noted that BASE jumping on Bureau of Land Management land around Moab is legal but acknowledged that it is “all fun and games until you are smashed up on the talus and need rescue and surgery.” Still, BASE jumping-related incidents make up less than five percent of search-and-rescue calls in the area.

"We are incredibly grateful to Grand County Search and Rescue for their heroic efforts — including the four BASE jumpers who serve as [Search and Rescue] team members and participated directly in this rescue," Moab BASE Access continued.

FMI: https://moab.baseaccess.org