A snowstorm in Sedona's High Country area prompted a search and rescue operation this Tuesday, as two separate hiking groups became stranded on Devil’s Bridge trail. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call around 5 p.m., with a mother reporting that, along with her four children, she was lost after one of her daughters strayed away without a cell phone, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
As snow began to obscure the trail markers, the hikers found themselves unable to locate the appropriate path back to their vehicles. While the daughter, who had wandered off, reached the trailhead to meet rescue teams, the rest of her family remained missing, according to a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. Complicating the search, a second emergency call came in regarding another batch of hikers similarly distressed by the storm.
The groups, now totaling eight individuals, were finally pinpointed thanks to close coordinates provided by the 911 dispatch, AZ Family reported. Over a dozen volunteers from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Forest Patrol and Verde Search and Rescue teams joined the operation. Staying together and waiting for rescue, all hikers were located and guided back to safety by approximately 8 p.m., albeit cold and wet but unharmed.
“Once again the YCSO Search and Rescue teams prove how incredibly important they are to the community. YCSO sends a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who are called out in every rescue,” Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes confirmed in a statement covered by both FOX 10 Phoenix and AZ Family. For those considering winter hikes, it is advised that they first learn about necessary precautions, including tips offered by the National Park Service on winter hiking safety.
