A dramatic rescue unfolded in Utah’s Arches National Park when an experienced backpacker became trapped in quicksand during a 20-mile hiking trip. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, revived the age-old trope of quicksand — a peril often depicted in films yet rarely encountered in real life.
The hiker, whose identity was not released, had been traversing a narrow canyon on the second day of the trek when he suddenly sank up to his thigh. Unable to free himself as the wet sand repeatedly flowed back in, he activated an emergency satellite beacon. His distress call was relayed to Grand County emergency services, triggering a rapid response.
Arches National Park, known for its iconic sandstone formations, attracts over one million visitors annually. While falls, medical issues and heat-related emergencies are common, rescues involving quicksand remain rare.
For readers unfamiliar with the region, more about the park can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arches_National_Park
Rescue teams mobilise with specialised equipment
John Marshall, a member of the Grand County Search and Rescue team and someone familiar with quicksand rescues, received the call at 7:15 a.m.
“I was just rolling out of bed,” he recalled. “I’m scratching my head, going, ‘Did I hear that right? Did they say quicksand?’”
A team quickly assembled with all-terrain vehicles, a ladder, traction boards, backboards and a drone. The drone gave Marshall an aerial view of the hiker’s predicament. A park ranger had tossed the man a shovel, but every attempt to dig out only allowed the sand to collapse back into place.
Rescuers eventually managed to position boards and a ladder around the hiker, slowly loosening his trapped leg. He had been standing in near-freezing quicksand for hours, battling temperatures in the 20s Fahrenheit. Once freed, the team warmed him until he could stand and walk — and remarkably, he then hiked out on his own carrying his pack.
A similar rescue case involving Utah wilderness was previously reported by News Karnataka:
https://newskarnataka.com/nation/2024/12/15/hiker-rescue-us-national-park/
Quicksand: dangerous but often misunderstood
Marshall noted that while quicksand can trap a person firmly, the popular belief of being fully swallowed is largely a myth.
“In quicksand you’re extremely buoyant,” he explained. “Most people won’t sink past their waist.”
He speaks from experience. In 2014, he assisted in rescuing a 78-year-old woman who had become stuck for more than 13 hours in the same canyon, just two miles from the latest incident. Her friends grew concerned when she did not arrive for her book club meeting, found her car at a trailhead, and alerted rescuers. She made a full recovery after regaining use of her legs.
Both rescues, Marshall said, resulted in “very happy endings”.