The National Guard was called in to help rescue a hiker on New Year’s Day. According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, a 55-year-old man was hiking near Bumble Bee Road when he fell from a ledge and sustained a serious leg injury.
Due to poor weather and plunging temperatures, both the victim and members of the search and rescue team experienced symptoms of hypothermia. Searchers stayed with the victim overnight, keeping a fire burning to stay warm. Flooded roads and bad weather delayed evacuation efforts, and air support was initially grounded.
The next morning, a Blackhawk helicopter from the Arizona National Guard arrived and airlifted the hiker to safety.