36-year old Payson man critically injured in fall at Oak Creek Canyon

Mike McEntire of Payson was critically injured canyoneering with friends - rescue effort took 36 hours

Flagstaff, AZ – On the afternoon of Saturday August 13, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a critically injured fall victim in the West Fork area of Oak Creek Canyon.  Coconino County Search and Rescue personnel assisted by several other rescuers took over 36 hours to reach and safely extricate the fall victim from the canyon.

The victim, Mike McEntire, 36, of Payson was flown to John C. Lincoln Hospital.

McEntire was with a group of friends canyoneering in a slot or tributary canyon of West Fork.  He was on a 350-foot rappel and was on the last 150 feet of that rappel when he failed to maintain control and speed.  The victim fell 100 feet striking rock and then fell another 40 feet, ending up approximately 800 feet below the rim of the canyon.  The victim suffered serious head and internal injuries and a possible fractured pelvis. 

Two Coconino County Search and Rescue Technical Rescue Team Members were able to reach McEntire prior to midnight.  Due to the extreme terrain of the canyon and technical aspects of the rappel, the rescuers had approximately 2,400 foot of rappelling rope in service, and the rescuers required eight rappels and three swims to reach the victim.  Rescue workers remained with the severely injured victim throughout the night until his extrication at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday morning, a helicopter was called to the scene, but due to the location of the victim and the terrain, the helicopter was unable to perform a short haul of the patient.  It took several hours, and several rescuers to mechanically raise the patient 450-500 feet back up the canyon to where a Department of Public Safety helicopter could complete the short haul operation.  McEntire was then flown by Native Air to a local hospital.

Due to the situation and the terrain, helicopters were used to short haul some of the rescuers out of the canyon.  Over 25 rescuers and medical personnel were involved in this effort from Coconino County Search and Rescue, Sedona Fire District, Flagstaff Fire Department, Guardian Medical Transport, Flagstaff Medical Center, Department of Public Safety helicopters out of Kingman and Phoenix, and Native Air.