Chris Anderson slipped and fell roughly 100 yards or more near the summit of Mount Timpanogos, suffering broken ribs, spine fractures, a bruised lung and a fractured jaw before fellow hikers carried him down the mountainside and a helicopter flew him to a hospital. Now the Utah man is awake, has already gotten out of bed to walk a little, and is facing what's expected to be a lengthy recovery.
According to FOX 13 News Utah, Anderson was hiking with a group of friends when he fell near the peak. Friends and fellow hikers worked together to get him down the mountainside before he could be flown out, and hikers on the trail rushed to help once they realized what had happened. Russ Barton, who was among those on the scene, called the rescue miraculous and described Anderson's fall as frightening.
A Familiar Face on the Trail
Anderson isn't a casual weekend wanderer. He hikes at least once a week, sometimes twice, typically heading out every Thursday and Sunday with a regular group, according to Heidi Humes, who has known Anderson and his family for more than 20 years. Humes said Anderson is doing well and described him as the salt of the earth.
Friends who know him from the trail have echoed that sentiment, describing Anderson as determined and resilient, and noting that he's maintained a positive attitude even as he begins his recovery. That reputation appears to be part of why the response from Utah's outdoor community has been so swift.
Donations and Messages Pour In
Support has poured in from hiking groups, runners, coworkers and Utah community members since news of the fall spread. Humes said she alone received 17 donation-related texts from people who hike with Anderson, and a GoFundMe page was started to help with his recovery costs. Hiking groups have sent both donations and messages of encouragement as Anderson begins the long road back.
The outpouring reflects how tightly knit Utah's trail community can be when one of its own is hurt. That same community support, organizers and friends say, will help carry Anderson through the recovery ahead.
A Dangerous Stretch on Timpanogos
Anderson's fall comes amid a rough stretch on the popular peak. Gephardt Daily reported the same Sept. 27 incident, in which a man in his 30s slipped and rolled down an embankment while hiking Timp and was flown to a local hospital with help from DPS and LifeFlight; no other parties were injured. And earlier in September, Deseret News reported a hiker died after a lightning strike near the summit, with four other hikers making their way down on their own after suffering minor injuries that required hospital evaluation.
For now, Anderson's friends and the wider hiking community are focused on his recovery. He's awake, he's moving, and by all accounts he's approaching the long healing process the same way he approaches the trail: with determination.
