‘Cold, injured, unprepared’ climber stuck overnight on Zion cliff, Utah rescuers say

A climber was stuck overnight on the side of a cliff in Zion National Park, Utah officials said.

The man was climbing alone in the national park’s Kolob Canyons — narrow box canyons that form 2,000-foot cliff walls — on Saturday, April 30, Utah Department of Public Safety officials said.

The climber fell from the cliff and was injured, officials said. He was stranded overnight.

“He spent the night there cold, injured, unprepared,” Utah DPS officials said on Instagram. ”Please plan ahead before you go out.”

After spending the night alone, the climber was hoisted off the cliff by a flight crew, rescuers said.

“Shout out to the park rangers who located him and guided us in,” officials said. “A quick pick and a short flight later the victim is safe.”

Rescuers did not disclose the climber’s injuries or his current condition.

Climbing in the national park isn’t recommended for inexperienced climbers. The rock within the national park is typically soft, and bolted routes often have “sparse protection,” according to park officials.

Zion National Park is the second-most visited national park in the country, according to the National Park Service. More than 5 million people visited the park in 2021.

This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 7:42 AM with the headline "‘Cold, injured, unprepared’ climber stuck overnight on Zion cliff, Utah rescuers say."