Kane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue

08/12/2026

WANTED: Human hide-and-seek volunteers for our search dogs

Our search dogs are getting *too* used to our regular volunteers and need fresh scent (that's you!) to keep them sharp and mission-ready.

Perks:
*Help train life-saving Search and Rescue dogs
*Spend quality time in the great outdoors
*Hang out with cute dogs

Qualifications:
*Must be able to hike 1-2 miles in off-trail terrain
*Must have a smartphone and the ability to download a map app (training provided!)

Details:
*The team trains Tuesday and Saturday evenings (Sat mornings when the weather cools), for about 2 hours.

If interested, send an email to kanecountypsar -at- gmail.com, and we'll add you to our email list.

07/23/2026

On July 21 at 12:30 PM, two individuals went for a short hike at Grand Canyon National Park, in a remote location on the border of the Kaibab National Forest. They intentionally split up while in search of a historic object nearby. One of the individuals found it, but the other, an 83-year-old experienced outdoorsman, never showed up. After several hours of searching, help was requested.

Due to the proximity of the terrain, Kane County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue (KCSAR) was requested by Coconino County (AZ) to begin a search. KCSAR conducted an all-night ground search operation in challenging burn conditions, and utilized search dogs and drones with FLIR, but did not locate the subject.

Grand Canyon National Park (NPS) took command of search efforts on July 22. They utilized a helicopter from Intermountain Flight and Ambulance Services, and ground teams from the NPS and Coconino County.
In early afternoon, KCSAR team members rejoined ground search efforts. NPS was able to get a cell phone ping, moving the search further to the east. An NPS helicopter located the subject, who was able to wave up to them. Due to the terrain, It was unable to land at the hiker’s location. A KCSAR team was dispatched on foot 1.5 miles to the scene to assess and stabilize him in preparation for a helicopter short haul operation.

Upon reaching the hiker, he was found to be in good spirits, just cold, and non-ambulatory. He was given liquids and warm layers.

With darkness setting in, the helicopter was unable to complete the short haul. Instead, they dropped a paramedic at the scene. KCSAR packaged the patient in a "MegaMover" extraction device, then carried the individual back to the road. The operation utilized about 20 people, switching off carrying, clearing downed logs, and flagging hazards. Once at the road, the individual was evaluated by a Kane County EMS ambulance, and released. The operation was completed at 1:30 AM.

07/13/2026

07/13/2026

KANAB, Utah — The Kane County Sheriff’s Office and Kane County Search and Rescue (KCSAR) responded to multiple rescue incidents over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The morning of July 4th, Zion National Park Rangers requested assistance from the Kane County Search and Rescue Technical Rope Team for a stranded hiker on Checkerboard Mesa. During the early morning hours of July 4, two hikers attempted to climb the steep sandstone formation. One of the hikers became trapped on a narrow ledge and was unable to safely descend.
At first light, the KCSAR Technical Rope Team responded and worked alongside Zion National Park Rangers to safely reach the stranded hiker and guide them back to stable ground. The rescue was completed without injury.
Despite responding to these back-to-back incidents, KCSAR volunteers returned to Kanab in time to provide traffic control and public safety support for the Kanab City Fourth of July Parade.
The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is extremely proud of the dedicated volunteers who make up Kane County Sheriff Search and Rescue. These men and women donate hundreds of hours each year.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office thanks all of its Search and Rescue volunteers, partner agencies, and emergency responders for their continued commitment to serving the community and those visiting Kane County.

07/10/2026

On Monday, July 6, 2026, at approximately 3 PM, Kane County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Dispatch received a call regarding an overdue hiker in the Wave/Wire Pass area.

Earlier that morning, a group of hikers had traveled to The Wave. While hiking, the group became separated from a member of their party. When they returned to the trailhead, they had hoped he had arrived safely on his own. He had not, so they contacted KCSO dispatch.

KCSO deputies and Bureau of Land Management Rangers responded to the Wire Pass Trailhead to gather information from the group. Kane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (KCSAR) was activated to begin a search.

Intermountain Life Flight was initially requested to assist with an aerial search. The aerial search was later assumed by the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) Aero Bureau helicopter based in St. George.

Throughout the evening and into the night, KCSAR personnel conducted a ground search while the DPS helicopter searched from the air. Ground teams located the missing hiker’s tracks and followed them to the edge of Wire Pass slot canyon. The helicopter then conducted a search through Buckskin Gulch.

Approximately halfway between the confluence of Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch Trailhead, the DPS flight crew located the missing hiker lying on slickrock above the slot canyon.

The flight crew found the man nonverbal and drifting in and out of consciousness. He was loaded into the helicopter and flown to a waiting ambulance at the Wire Pass Trailhead. Big Water Fire Department provided emergency medical care before the patient was transported by Intermountain Life Flight to a hospital for treatment of dehydration and other injuries.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the outstanding cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Dept of Public Safety Aero Bureau, Intermountain Life Flight, and Big Water Fire Dept. This coordinated effort resulted in the successful rescue of the missing hiker.

The outcome could easily have been different, and this incident serves as an important reminder for hikers to remain with their group, carry adequate water, and be prepared for the extreme conditions of the desert

05/29/2026

On May 23, an individual hiking in Orderville Canyon near the boundary of Zion National Park slipped while lowering themselves over a boulder, resulting in a serious ankle injury. One member of their party was able to hike out and make a broken-up phone call to Kane County Sheriff’s Office dispatch. Kane County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, (KCSAR), responded and coordinated a rescue plan. Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Division helicopter (DPS), with hoist capability, was contacted to respond, along with an Intermountain Life Flight medical helicopter and a Kane County Emergency Medical ambulance.

At first, DPS was unable to find the party because the coordinates associated with the 911 call were in a different location from the patient. Life Flight landed near the trailhead, where they spoke with the individual who had hiked out, and were able to get more complete information about the patient's location. They then relayed the information to DPS. DPS was able to lower one staff into the canyon, who splinted the individual's leg and helped them to a location for hoisting out of the canyon.

The individual was brought to a landing zone by the helicopter, then taken by ambulance for transport to a local hospital. Kane County SAR team members shuttled the remaining group back to their vehicles.

Slips, trips, and falls are common SAR callouts in Kane County. We remind visitors to use utmost caution in canyon country. Cell phone signal is rare in canyons, and rescues may be delayed. Take extra layers, food, and water, in case of accidents.

05/15/2026

Thursday, May 14 - At 1018 hours, Kane County Sheriff's Office Dispatch was contacted concerning an injured hiker. KCSO Deputies and Kane County Sheriff Search and Rescue were called to help a 70-year-old who had taken a ground level fall while navigating a log obstacle in Peekaboo Canyon slot just north of Kanab (not to be confused with Peekaboo off Hole-in-the-Rock Road, also in Kane County).

The individual experienced a great deal of pain and instability in his hip and was unable to walk out. He was part of a guided tour. The guides were able to stabilize the patient and requested emergency response and support.

The patient was loaded into a vacuum splint and then extricated from the canyon via a wheeled litter. At the mouth of the canyon, the individual was loaded into a medical helicopter and flown to definitive care for additional treatment. The operation was terminated at 1330 hours.

Agencies involved: Kane County Sheriff's Office (deputies and SAR), Kanab Fire, Intermountain Flight and Ambulance Services, Bureau of Land Management

Kane County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue had two other calls earlier this week that involved overheated hikers that required emergency medical attention. We want to remind hikers that as temperatures rise, pack extra fluids to avoid situations like these.

01/08/2026

https://www.sunews.net/post/kane-county-sheriff-search-and-rescue-conduct-two-successful-rescues-over-christmas-weekend?fbclid=IwZnRzaAPMsYpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeuSVmI4QktQSb5u6z6c3i3xX68SBCotcruh4ETxfeBLOaxg5CbikYYZkOl2s_aem_DQaPoX0Mp-72h7Ak54vE7g

On December 23, 2025, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an overdue hiker. Kane County Sheriff Search and Rescue (SAR) responded to a missing woman in the Sheep Creek area. The woman was supposed to meet her family there after they hiked from one canyon to another. During the hi...