On June 1, Garfield County received a call regarding a 21 year old male who has been hiking from Mexico, over eight hundred miles, and was on the Hayduke Trail of BLM Grand Staircase when he fell off a cliff. He fell approximately 60 feet landing on his face and head, losing consciousness for an unknown amount of time, but he was able to activate his Satellite GPS Messaging Device.

Life Flight out of Moab was called in and also a Department of Public Safety helicopter from Salt Lake was called to assist. Garfield County search and rescue along with the Garfield County High Angle Rescue Team also responded.

The Department of Public Safety helicopter along with a hoist team were able to arrive on scene and lower equipment and a rescuer to a medical team prepared for a hoist operation. The DPS helicopter was then able to hoist the injured victim out of the canyon to the waiting Life Flight helicopter.

The patient was treated for critical injuries and then later flown to UMC Medical Center in Las Vegas Nevada because of his extensive facial injuries.