CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. — A 69-year-old hiker is recovering after a dramatic overnight rescue on Mount Taylor, where he became lost in remote terrain and feared he might not survive the night.
According to Cibola Search and Rescue, volunteers were called out around 3 a.m. Saturday to search for the missing hiker. Rescuers used tracking skills to locate him on an isolated ridge after he became stranded in a difficult-to-access area.
Once they reached the hiker, emergency medical personnel assessed his condition, checked his vital signs, and began warming and rehydrating him.
The rescue effort was far from over.
Crews then spent more than three hours guiding the man through rugged terrain, covering several miles before reaching a waiting utility vehicle. The hiker was transported to an ambulance and later airlifted to a hospital for further treatment.
Rescuers said the man later told them he had begun writing messages to his family because he was unsure he would make it through the night before help arrived.
The successful mission involved members of Cibola Search and Rescue, the Albuquerque Mountain Rescue Council, and Socorro Search and Rescue, along with support from the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office, Cibola County Fire and Emergency Services, and Classic Air.
Officials credited the coordinated response and persistence of rescuers for safely bringing the hiker off the mountain.
