Hiker following unofficial trail markers gets stranded on mountain, AZ cops say
A hiker following unofficial trail markers ended up stranded on an Arizona mountain summit, deputies say.
Yavapai County deputies, along with search and rescue crew members, responded to a report of “a man lost and stranded near the summit of Granite Mountain” at about 4:30 p.m. May 4, the sheriff’s office said in a May 6 Facebook post.
As the man was hiking, “he left the trail to follow cairns,” the man told deputies.
Rock cairns, or a stack of rocks, can be used as markers guiding hikers so they stay on the correct path, according to the National Park Service.
In this case, though, the cairns “were not official trail markers,” according to deputies.
As darkness set in, rescuers “climbed the summit” and used the hiker’s cellphone to pinpoint his location, deputies said.
“By the time they reached his location, lightning flashed nearby, and heavy rain began to fall,” the sheriff’s office said.
At the time, rescuers were uncertain if they would need to set up camp to hunker down for the night and put the rescue on hold until the morning.
“The team pushed forward,” however, and made it “back down the mountain before 11 p.m.,” deputies said.
The “experienced hiker” was in good health, “aside from being cold and wet,” deputies said.
“This hiker made two smart decisions: he brought a working cell phone and stayed in the same spot after he called for help,” according to deputies.
This rescue serves as a reminder to outdoor visitors to always be prepared for the worst case scenario, regardless of experience, per the sheriff’s office.
“Always share your planned excursions and expected timelines with trusted friends,” deputies said. “It is also important to stay on the trail and not follow cairns.”
Granite Mountain is about a 130-mile drive northwest from Phoenix.
This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Hiker following unofficial trail markers gets stranded on mountain, AZ cops say."
