News & Image Source: Pinal County Search and Rescue (SAR) Posse
At 8:14 p.m., the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Posse was dispatched to Lost Dutchman State Park in the Superstition Mountains to locate and rescue two students attending school here from out-of-state. The pair had set out for Flatiron around 2 p.m. Monday and became trapped in a severe storm while descending near Siphon Draw.
They encountered intense lightning, hail, and fast-moving water. With no safe shelter available, they huddled together to stay warm but were soaked, cold, lost, and frightened, and had no light source. The terrain was slick and dangerous.
Rescuers provided them with warm jackets and headlamps and safely escorted them down the slippery draw as another flash flood warning was issued, requiring a quick exit. Both hikers and rescuers made it out safely without injury around 12:45 a.m. and were extremely grateful for the assistance of the PCSO SAR Posse.
