Park Ranger Avery Sloss created this timelapse video of the Milky Way above Watchman Mountain in Zion National Park. Zion was certified an International Dark Sky Place by the International Dark Sky Association in 2021.
DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – A hiker from Belgium was rescued by park rangers last Wednesday in Death Valley National Park after getting stranded in an unstable gully.
Officials with Death Valley National Park said two men from Belgium went on what was supposed to be a short hike in Mosaic Canyon and decided to split up at a junction in the canyon.
One of the hikers continued on the main trail, while the other decided to go through a side canyon and circle back to the main trail farther ahead.
As the hiker climbed through the side canyon, it got steeper and more unstable until he couldn’t descend safely or continue on, park officials said.
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The black circle on the photo shows where the hiker got stuck in the side canyon.
(NPS/Spencer Solomon / FOX Weather)
He was stranded about a half-mile from the trail, park officials said. The hiker had nothing with him but the clothes on his back and the satellite-enabled phone that he used to call for help.
Park rangers were dispatched to rescue the stranded hiker and scaled the loose, steep slope to get to him.
About 40 minutes after the sun set, the rangers reached the man and a rescue helicopter was deployed to their area.
Park officials said the rangers deemed it too dangerous to hoist the hiker due to the risk of downdraft winds from the helicopter’s rotors dislodging loose rocks above him.
Rangers gave the hiker a helmet and harness and used a boulder as an anchor point to lower him down the slope with ropes.
After the hiker had been lowered down the slope, the rangers rappelled down behind him.
Park officials said the rescue mission was complete by 7 p.m.