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SANDY — A 28-year-old man was in serious condition Saturday after falling about 40 feet to the bottom of Lower Bells Canyon Falls.
The man was hiking when he fell and landed in the water. A physician in the area witnessed the man's fall and was able to provide immediate assistance.
The Salt Lake man suffered head injuries, a dislocated shoulder, and other internal injuries, according to Unified police detective Ken Hansen.
Police, who did not release the identity of the fall victim, were called to the area shortly after 4 p.m. and decided to evacuate the man by helicopter. But the rocky terrain and the man's delicate condition made it difficult for rescue crews to access the hiker and get him out safely.
"We didn't want to get him out by ground because of the nature of his injuries," Hansen said.
Hansen said the physician at the scene was able to monitor the man's condition and keep emergency crews updated until he could be evacuated.
Eventually, a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter used a suspended basket to retrieve the man and transport him to an area where a Life Flight helicopter picked him up and took him to Intermountain Medical Center.
"He's in serious condition. It looks like he might have fractures in his back, maybe his skull," Hansen said.
It's unclear how the hiker fell or if there were other people with him. Hansen said people usually fall in the same area "once or twice a year, sometimes more frequently."
"The most important thing is to hike to the level of your experience and training," he said. "Some people don't understand that when you're on rocks, especially if they're wet, if there's any moisture on them, they can be very slippery.
"The problem is, if you make a mistake in that area, the landing areas are not very forgiving," he said.
Contributing: Sandra Yi
