HikeArizona.COM

Sheep clobbers hiker, rescue needed
By Alexis Bechman

May 12, 2009
It was a busy weekend for Tonto Rim Search and Rescue volunteers. On Saturday morning, a Tucson man backpacking near Fossil Creek was knocked unconscious after several big horn sheep in the area loosened rock above him, which tumbled down and hit him in the head.

The 43-year-old Tucsonan was camping with his wife and a friend near Fossil Creek and the Verde River around 9 a.m. when they saw four big horn sheep walking above them in the canyon. Their wonder at the sight of the sheep quickly turned to panic when they heard rocks tumbling down the canyon, said Tonto Rim Search and Rescue Commander Bill Pitterle.

The group ran for cover, but the Tucson man was struck by a rock in the head and fell unconscious.

When the man came to, he was reportedly very disoriented, bleeding from the head and could not remember basic information about himself or the day. After calming the man’s wife down, the man’s friend decided to hike out five miles to get cell phone service and call for help, Pitterle said.

A Gila County Sheriff’s deputy and Tonto Rim Search and Rescue volunteers responded to the area around 1 p.m. and determined the man needed to be airlifted out, so Native Air was called.

The pilot landed the helicopter near the creek, and airlifted the man out to a hospital. The TRSAR volunteers then had to hike for several more hours to get home.

After calming the man’s wife down...

imike wrote:well, in bike racing they finally made helmets mandatory... perhaps we're headed that way with our hiking. And then to cover us from those pesky hunters, there are those nice bullet proof vests... they could expand the product line out to include some complimentary hiking colors. It is dangerous out there.

dysfunction wrote:Hey! It'd make the molle attachment issue easier though