Hiker rescued from Peekaboo slot canyon

KANAB — A 70-year-old hiker was airlifted from Peekaboo Slot Canyon north of Kanab May 14 after being injured during a guided tour through the popular sandstone canyon system, according to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

Members of Kane County Search and Rescue, Kanab Fire, Intermountain Flight and Ambulance Services and other responding agencies gather near a medical helicopter following a May 14 rescue operation at Peekaboo Slot Canyon north of Kanab. A 70-year-old hiker was airlifted after being injured during a guided tour. Photo courtesy Kane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.

Emergency crews were dispatched at 10:18 a.m. after the hiker reportedly suffered a ground-level fall while navigating a log obstacle inside the slot canyon. Authorities said the man experienced significant hip pain and instability and was unable to walk out on his own.

According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team, guides accompanying the tour stabilized the patient and requested emergency assistance. Rescue personnel later placed the man into a vacuum splint before extricating him from the canyon using a wheeled litter system.

At the mouth of the canyon, the patient was transferred to a medical helicopter and flown for additional treatment. Officials said the operation concluded at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Agencies involved in the response included the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Kane County Search and Rescue, Kanab Fire, Intermountain Flight and Ambulance Services and the Bureau of Land Management.

Peekaboo Slot Canyon has become a popular destination near Kanab, drawing tourists through guided tours and social media exposure highlighting the canyon’s narrow sandstone passageways and sculpted rock formations.

Search and Rescue officials also noted they had responded to two other emergency calls involving overheated hikers earlier in the week and reminded visitors to carry extra fluids as temperatures begin rising across southern Utah.