A hiker was rescued off Mount Graham by a DPS Ranger helicopter like this one after suffering heat-related illness.
By Jon Johnson
MOUNT GRAHAM – A man who was setting trail cameras roughly five miles south of Ash Creek on Mount Graham was rescued by an Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger who flew him off the mountain Monday, July 13 after he became dehydrated and was suffering from heat-related illness.
According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, Tyler Adams set out to hike up Ash Creek with another man to set trail cameras at about 5 a.m. By 11 a.m., however, Adams had fallen behind his hiking companion. The companion advised Adams to “get up to his pack” and rest but he later looked back and saw Adams had not made it.
The companion hiked back down and located Adams lying on the ground in the sun. Adams was reportedly dehydrated and was unable to keep any water down.
An off-duty Pima Police officer who is friends with Adams began to make his way toward the pair on horseback while alerting the Sheriff’s Office about the incident at about 5 p.m., which in turn mobilized the Graham County Search & Rescue team. The off-duty officer also gave the deputy the hiking companion’s phone number so he could speak to him directly.
The deputy then called the hiking companion and informed that help was on the way. After deploying the teams, however, the hiking companion advised that Adams’ condition had worsened. The deputy then requested a DPS Ranger fly in and assist with the rescue.
The Ranger rescued Adams and flew him to a staging area north of Cluff Ponds #1, where he was evaluated by paramedics with Lifeline Ambulance and was then transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center for further treatment.
The deputy then remained on scene until all the search teams safely returned off the mountain.
