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SAN RAFAEL SWELL, Emery County — A man from Nephi was rescued Wednesday morning after he fell and broke his leg in a remote slot canyon near Goblin Valley State Park.
About 2 a.m. Wednesday, a rescue crew pulled Brigham Holladay, 26, out of the Ding and Dang Canyons area, about eight miles west of Goblin Valley State Park on the south side of the San Rafael Swell, Emery County Sheriff’s Office officials said on Facebook.
Holladay had spent most of the night stranded in the canyon after he broke his leg in a fall.
"As I was coming around through Ding Canyon, I came to a drop that I jumped from too far and broke my fibula," Holladay told KSL.
He broke his leg about 7:30 p.m., he said. Holladay tried to move further down the canyon, but decided it would make his injury worse if he continued, so he stopped and waited for someone to report his absence.
"I was pretty sure that my parents would report where I was going," Holladay said. "It was more just a matter of time, just hoping that I didn't have any further problems arise while waiting."
At about midnight, Holladay's father called 911 and told dispatchers he had last heard from his son at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, officials said.
Sheriff’s office deputies found the Holladay's car at the trailhead for Ding and Dang Canyons about 2 a.m., officials said.
Four people from Goblin Valley State Park started searching the area, with two moving up each canyon. A crew found Holladay about two miles from the trailhead.
Rescue officials put Holladay in a rescue basket and carried him down the canyon to an area where a helicopter could lower a cable 160 feet into the canyon. The helicopter hoisted Holladay out of the canyon and carried him to the ambulance, which was located at Goblin Valley State Park.
The ambulance then took Holladay to a hospital. The rescue process took about nine hours in all, officials said.
“Not only did rescue personnel respond during the middle of the night, but they also waded through very cold water in the slot canyon, which was chest deep at times,” Emery County Sheriff Greg Funk said in the Facebook post. “The skills of the helicopter crew were incredible as they hovered in a very tight section of the canyon to hoist the injured man out.”
Emery County Search and Rescue, Green River Ambulance and a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter also helped with the search.
Holladay said the rescue might cause him to be a little more cautious about hiking in the future, but maybe not. He said he was very thankful for the rescue crews.
"I’m very grateful for them and I was very impressed with their performance," he said. "I thought they were great."
