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83-Year-Old Utah Hiker Found and Evacuated From Grand Canyon North Rim

Coordinated helicopter and drone reconnaissance located the man about 2.5 miles from his last known point, allowing crews to move him to road-side medical care.

Overview

  • Officials received a report around 5 p.m. on Tuesday that 83-year-old Gerald Guinn and a partner had become separated while hiking near Forest Service Road 610 on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim.
  • Grand Canyon National Park personnel joined Coconino County and Kane County search-and-rescue teams to begin ground searches and to deploy drones and helicopters over the remote area.
  • A helicopter search crew spotted Guinn roughly 2.5 miles from his last known point about 6:30 p.m. the next day, and crews carried him to a nearby road where paramedics evaluated him before ambulance transport to a hospital in stable condition.
  • Guinn was not carrying hiking gear or camping equipment when he was reported missing, a detail that highlights the risks older or underprepared hikers face in rugged backcountry terrain.
  • The case underscores how Grand Canyon rescues rely on rapid, multi-jurisdictional coordination and aerial assets, and officials ask anyone with information to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch tip line at 888-653-0009.