The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office led a crew who rescued a 25-year-old Sedona man a stranded nine hours atop a lofty rock ledge on Lizard Head Rock on Friday, Oct. 23.

The hiker had been mountain biking in the area of Lizard Head and Thunder Mountain, east of Dry Creek Road, when he decided to start rock climbing, YCSO spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn said.

The climber had reached a ledge that was approximately 3 feet by 8 feet, at least 30 feet above the nearest ground and 70 feet below any safe access point, YCSO said.

After searching for a safe way down for an hour, the climber text-messaged a friend who contacted YCSO at 1:30 p.m.

A YCSO Forest Patrol deputy contacted the Verde Search & Rescue Posse’s Hasty Team to help locate the climber. The team found the climber’s friend who directed them to the climber’s ledge, YCSO reports said.

The deputies next called in the YCSO’s Response Team Back Country Unit to perform high-angle rope rescue operations, according to reports.

Due to the unstable rock face of the sandstone above the climber and few suitable anchor points, the Back Country Unit requested help from the Sedona Fire District’s Technical Rescue Team.

Tech crews drove bolts into the rock for a mechanical anchor system and rescue personnel rappelled down to the ledge. The rescue team secured and lower the climber to ground level just before midnight.

This type of rescue was unusual for Sedona because local hikers tend to understand the inherent risks of hiking alone and climbing without proper gear, D’Evelyn said.

“Most Sedona residents know about over-hiking and over-climbing,” D’Evelyn said. “If there’s ever any doubt, don’t do it.”

“This could have been more devastating,” D’Evelyn said. “We’re glad he took the time to call a friend when we realized he couldn’t get down and thought it was time to go ahead and text someone.”

YCSO is always looking for volunteers for its search and rescue teams, D’Evelyn said. Hikers should contact Volunteer Coordinator Dennyse Loll at (928) 771-3260.

Christopher Fox Graham

Larson Newspapers