GRANGEVILLE, Idaho (CSB2) — On Tuesday around noon, Idaho County Dispatch received an SOS activation and was advised by a male who said he had fallen off a cliff. The coordinates mapped to the edge of Indigo Lake.
Life Flight responded but could not land due to weather conditions and terrain. Two Bear Air was also down due to maintenance.
Idaho County Deputies, Grangeville Mountain Rescue Unit (GMRU) members, a member of the Stites Fire Department and units from the Riggins Ambulance responded and met at the Slate Lake Trailhead.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., rescuers located the male at Indigo Lake. It took five hours to walk him four miles out to a four-wheeler, where they finished the last three-fourths of a mile.
The male sustained a severe head injury and injured both ankles, a knee and a hip. He had fallen the night before and been knocked unconscious for an unknown period.
He found his gear and pack the next day and walked over two canyons to get to Indigo Lake, where he activated his SOS.
Additionally, on Tuesday around 7:15 p.m., Idaho County Dispatch received a call from a hunting party advising a 17-year-old had fallen and dislocated his leg. They stated they were near Camp Adams in the pillars, and the coordinates they gave were near Camp Howard Road.
Idaho County Dispatch contacted Life Flight, but they could not fly due to weather.
Idaho County Deputies, the GMRU, the Grangeville Ambulance and the White Bird QRU responded. At approximately 1:30 a.m., they were able to locate the patient, and they assisted him to the main roadway.
ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmpaeTlrlwucCnZKytoqu2t7HSZpqloZabeqety6VkmqaUYrSzwcSloKefXZ%2B8tr7NnrBmoZ5itqWtx6hksKGcmbKzusSsqmaqlaiwtrHDZpifrJWnerS70maamqSc