SALT LAKE CITY — Utah officials say a hiker is recovering in a hospital after he was rescued from the Uinta Mountains by a Black Hawk helicopter, a rare move by the Utah National Guard reserved for extreme cases.
Utah officials told reporters Thursday that a 22-year-old Lehi man had been hiking with a companion when he fell 200 yards (183 meters) down a steep chute rock field near Kings Peak on Wednesday night.
Department of Public Safety officials say they had responded to the call for help, but had to ask for assistance since the department and Life Flight are not authorized to hoist a person up at night.
Officials say the man was taken to a hospital in critical condition with chest and head injuries, and is expected to make a full recovery.
