Recent Rescue on Bell Rock Highlights Need for Hiker Safety Education

Sedona AZ (April 4, 2012) – Late last month, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office rescue personnel were called to Bell Rock in Sedona regarding a stranded female hiker. 38-year-old Christine Pae, visiting from Ohio, had started hiking around 4:00pm. The woman wondered off the path at some point during her hour long excursion and was unable to find her way back. Without food or a jacket, and only 5 oz. of water, Christine felt it necessary to call 911 for help just after 5 PM. A crew from the Verde Search and Rescue team was summoned and able to locate and rescue Christine just after 6:30pm. Critical factors in this successful rescue were a working GPS enabled cell phone, and Christine’s wise decision to remain stationary while awaiting rescue personnel.

Luckily, the outcome of this incident was positive, but that is not always the case. These circumstances typify recent incidents in the Sedona area where hikers placed themselves in situations far exceeding their knowledge and abilities. Last year, 2 people died in hiking related incidents in this area. The first took place on July 7, 2011. Rescue teams started their search after being notified of a possible missing person. Upon locating her body, it was deemed it likely that she had fallen 50-100 feet off of a ledge on Bell Rock and succumbed to injuries sustained in the fall. The second incident occurred in December of 2011, when the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the mother of 21-year-old son and indicated her son was a hiker stranded on a ledge near Castle Rock. Rescue crews attempted to locate her son, but unfortunately further attempts to contact him by cell phone were unsuccessful and prolonged the search. Upon locating the hiker’s body, rescue personnel found it likely that he had fallen approximately 150 feet and succumbed to injuries at his point of rest.