Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

public safety:

Lost hiker to spend night on mountain as rescue suspended

Updated Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 | 4:27 p.m.

A hiker lost in a snowstorm on Mount Charleston this morning has indicated he will be able to make it through the night on the mountain but will need help getting out in the morning, Metro Police said.

Because of the hazardous weather conditions, a Metro search and rescue team has returned to its staging area and will resume the rescue at first light if the man still needs assistance, Metro spokesman Bill Cassell said.

The man and his dog got lost in the Lee Canyon area of Mount Charleston, officials said. Cassell said police received a call at 8:34 a.m. about the situation. The man activated an emergency tracking device, which sent a text message indicating he needed help, Cassell said.

The man and his dog apparently wound up off trail while hiking during a storm expected to dump up to two feet of snow on the mountain, officials said. Authorities have been able to keep tabs on his whereabouts via GPS coordinates from the tracking device, Cassell said.

Metro was working with the Nevada Department of Transportation to clear roadways to reach the location, Cassell said. The rescue mission will be ground-based, given the weather conditions, he said.

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