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Searchers Find Two Missing Grand Canyon Hikers

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on March 24, 2010 - 5:25am

Searchers have located two missing hikers who had been reported missing in Grand Canyon National Park.

According to the park’s Robin Martin:

Rangers found two overdue hikers yesterday afternoon following a search that began on Monday. The hikers, Isaac Rabicoff and Michael Wu, both from Kansas, were found along the Colorado River near Royal Arch, an area of the Grand Canyon west of the South Rim developed area and Hermits Rest. The two men had obtained a backcountry permit from the park to hike in the Royal Arch and South Bass areas, departing on March 16th and returning on March 20th. On Monday, a member of one of the men’s families notified the park that the two men had failed to return to Kansas as planned. Following the phone call from the family member, the park began an aerial and ground search and an investigation. The men were spotted from the park’s helicopter around 3 p.m. Both were okay and were flown out to the South Rim.

This search and rescue operation was aided by the fact that the two men obtained required backcountry permits and told family members where they planned to hike and when they planned to return.

Comments

Submitted by shicks49 (not verified) on March 24, 2010 - 7:06am.

Glad there was a happy ending to this one for a change.

Submitted by Alley Keosheyan (not verified) on March 24, 2010 - 8:37am.

I too am glad that these gentlemen were found safe and sound. I'd be curious as to whether they were experienced at Grand Canyon hiking as I understand that the Royal Arch route is definitely not for first-timers, but that doesn't matter right now. At least they went about things the right way by getting proper permits and keeping family members informed.