PHOENIX — Phoenix Fire Department rescue crews have successfully rescued a man who got stuck on Camelback Mountain's Echo Canyon Trail overnight.
Crews were first called to the scene around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday for reports of a man who became stuck at the top of the mountain.
See video from the scene Wednesday morning in the video player below:
The hiker was initially seen by a Phoenix Police Department helicopter that was doing routine flights in the area.
Officials say the man was in an "extremely difficult portion of the trail" on top of one of the large boulders.
Hear from the Phoenix Fire Department about the rescue operation:
Due to the man's location and the darkness, crews worked for several hours to create a plan to rescue the hiker safely, ultimately leading to a "delayed operation."
They were able to use a drone to get the man blankets, water, and a cell phone to await rescue.
Fire officials say they were in communication with the man, and it did not appear that he was injured.
The rescue operation began again with the appearance of daylight on Wednesday morning.
Video from the scene showed the man huddled with an emergency blanket atop the mountain around 7:45 a.m.
Multiple rescue crew members and what appeared to be law enforcement officers were airlifted onto the mountain before he was successfully brought down the mountain by helicopter around 9 a.m.
Watch the helicopter rescue in the video player below:
It's unclear why the man was on the mountain or how he became stranded. However, officials say he was taken to a hospital as a precaution and will be taken to a mental health facility.
Echo Canyon has been shut down for several weeks due to safety concerns involving the area's boulders. There is no known reopening date for the trail.
The City of Phoenix shared the following statement regarding the rescue at Echo Canyon:
"The City of Phoenix takes the safety of both the public and our first responders very seriously. Echo Canyon Trail was closed at the time of this incident due to known safety hazards, and today’s rescue placed both the individual involved and responding personnel at risk.
While the City reserves the right to issue a citation to anyone who enters a closed trail, after reviewing the circumstances of this incident, the final result is that the Parks and Recreation Department will not be issuing a citation. During any emergency, the City’s top priority is public safety, and no one should ever hesitate to call for help out of concern about a potential citation.
The City urges the public to respect trail closures and to review “Take a Hike. Do it Right.” safety guidelines before visiting a trail. In the event of an emergency, always dial 911."
