CCSO searchers rescue Canadians on an "exchange hike" in Sedona

Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit locates three lost hikers near Sedona

Flagstaff AZ- Coconino County Sheriff Deputies and Search and Rescue Unit members located three lost hikers in the Sedona area late Sunday night. On Sunday, May 22, 2011 at

about 8:15 p.m. a Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy who serves as a search coordinator

learned that the reporting person was the wife of one of the six hikers. The coordinator also

determined that a party of six adult hikers all from Quebec, Canada traveled to Sedona for the purpose of participating in an “exchange hike.”

Three hikers began their journey at Chapel of the Holy Cross and the other three began at the Broken Arrow Trail Head. The two hiking parties met at Chicken Point and exchanged vehicle keys thus allowing them to drive the vehicle that was parked at their destination.

Information gathered from witnesses and eventually victims revealed that the party hiking from South to North left the trail shortly after they departed Chicken Point. Members of this group quickly became disoriented heading east and became lost.
The hikers in this group did not intend nor were they prepared for an overnight hike. The other group of hikers safely reached their intended destination which was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It was one of the members of this group that called to report the other party was overdue and missing.

Eleven members of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue unit conducted an

intensive ground search with some of the searchers on foot while others operated quads. They conducted audible search techniques by shouting to any potential victims and sounding their vehicle horns and sirens; however, they received no response. The search coordinator requested the assistance of a DPS Air Rescue helicopter and crew that was stationed in Phoenix.

Once they arrived in Northern Arizona, helicopter crew members quickly spotted the flames of a camp fire in the designated search area. Crew members were able to determine that the lost hikers appeared to be uninjured and in good condition and elected not to land at their location.

Crew members obtained GPS coordinates and relayed them to the ground searchers who reached the victims at about 5:15 a.m. on Monday. According to rescuers all three victims were in good condition and did not require medical attention.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit members escorted the three hikers to their waiting vehicle.