On a hot September afternoon, team members from Powell County Search & Rescue, along with Lee and Wolfe County rescue team members, responded to a 911 call for a female hiker in need of assistance at Courthouse Rock.
After sending a locator link to pinpoint her location, a hasty team was dispatched and reached her and a male hiking companion in his 20’s near Courthouse Rock. The initial report was that she was stuck on a cliff ledge, but further investigation showed that the duo was lost, off trail, scrambled down about 10 feet and were unable to climb up. Rescuers set up a low-angle rope system, putting each hiker into a harness to raise them both to safety.
Although they wisely called for help and carried hiking essentials such as food, water and a battery backup, they were not using navigation tools such as Gaia or CalTopo, which could have helped them avoid trouble. We are so glad everyone got out safely and thank our friends from Powell and Lee counties for working together on a successful rescue.
