A hiker overdue from a backcountry hike was found and rescued on Monday evening. Tom Gerhardt, 55, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was located off route in a rough and steep area above Wildcat Canyon in the Kolob Terrace section of the park. While attempting to descend into Wildcat Canyon, Gerhardt fell approximately 100 feet down a steep slope and dislocated his shoulder. Because of his injury, he was unable to leave the area where he had fallen, so he remained there and awaited rescue. Gerhardt had set off on a hike through The Subway on Saturday. When rangers found his vehicle still at the trailhead on Sunday morning, a search was begun, employing ground teams, helicopters and search dogs. On Monday evening, a search and rescue helicopter from the 66th Rescue Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base joined the operation. Flying the search area at night, the military helicopter crew detected a strobe light being flashed by the missing hiker. Rescuers were lowered to Gerhardt and he was winched into the helicopter, then flown to a waiting ambulance, taken to the Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, and released later in the evening. The successful conclusion to the search was possible because Gerhardt had obtained a backcountry hiking permit which included information useful to the searchers. He had also notified other people of where he was going and when he planned to return. In addition, he did not move from his location and was adequately supplied to await the rescue.
