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John Hollenhorst reportingRescuers say this was the toughest and most complex rescue they've ever handled in the Wasatch Mountains. One rescuer was first to the scene and stayed with the victims through the night.
The command post is in sight of where many of us live, just above Wasatch Boulevard. But a hike from here leads to some very tough terrain. And when the seven victims slid and fell, they wound up in very deep trouble.
As the command post took shape at the Mount Olympus trailhead, James Taylor took off by helicopter. About 9 pm he was dropped high on the mountain, just the beginning of a nearly three-hour trek in the dark.
James Taylor/ Search & Rescue Team: "Lot of trees, lots of rocks, pretty dangerous insertion. And then we went up and over the summit of Mount Olympus and had to rappel down to the saddle between the two summits of Mount Olympus. Then down to the patients. Pretty hazardous, actually."
Taylor and a fellow rescuer assessed the seven victims and began calling in bleak radio reports on broken bones.
Voice on Radio: "Appears to be a closed left humorous fracture."
At first there were tough decisions. Could the most seriously injured stay on the mountain all night?
Voice on Radio: "There's still a possibility we'll want to bring in a litter tonight and evacuate one of these patients."
But in such steep terrain taking them out in the dark was extremely risky. They weren't brought out until morning because rescuers were well equipped for a night in the cold and snow.
James Taylor: "We brought in a lot, personally. Then we also had LifeFlight drop in care packages that had sleeping bags, food, water, Gatorade, medical supplies."
The victims themselves were well dressed. Before help came, they'd built a platform to rest on.
James Taylor: "They had gotten out of the main slide areas. They were pretty secure. They were pretty smart and took care of what they needed to take care of. They just needed help getting out because the injuries were severe enough that they could not have walked out."
James Taylor: "It was pretty busy, actually. I mean, from the time we arrived all through the night, four patients, you're pretty much constantly taking care of them."
James Taylor: "We kept brewing hot water, making sure they were staying warm inside. The cold was the biggest threat last night. The injuries themselves we weren't able to secure and splint until this morning."
Taylor himself walked out at dawn, with the three victims who were able to walk.
No question this was the toughest rescue he's done in the Wasatch. But the team leders says this is what they train for, and what they're always ready to do.
