KANE COUNTY – Two hikers reported missing yesterday were found in safe condition by search and rescue crew members Monday afternoon.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday morning that two Salt Lake City area women were reported missing when they did not return home on schedule.
The women, Christian Delahunty and Suzy Wheeler-Mang, had planned to hike the East Fork area of the Virgin River, and were ultimately found in the “Barracks” area near Zion National Park shortly before 3 p.m. today.
The two women were found “in good health” despite having endured several rain storms and being about out of food, Kane County Sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Alldredge said.
Over the weekend, heavy rains in parts of Washington and Kane counties caused creeks and streams within Zion National Park to rise. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood alert for the region.
Delahunty and Wheeler-Mang began their hike Thursday and planned to hike from a point south of Mount Carmel Junction and west of Highway 89 in the East Fork area of the Virgin River. Their intention was to hike down the East Fork to an area near a popular spot called “Fat Man’s Misery,” and then hike out to their car parked at Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park by Sunday morning.
Alldredge said search and rescue efforts were launched Monday morning after 7:30 a.m.
Using the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter, an initial aerial search tracing the route the hikers planned to take proved unsuccessful and an expanded search began this afternoon as ground teams were also deployed.
After being found in the Barracks, the women were picked up and flown to the Kanab City Airport.
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I am glad they were found safe and sound… I am curious though… If they were flown to Kanab, how did they get to their car all the way in Zion to go home?