Hiker found after night trapped on canyon bluff

A 22-year-old hiker was found safe Oct. 7 after spending the night in a canyon crevice on Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management Area south of Gering.

The man had been attempting to hike down the side of a bluff near dusk on Oct. 6 when he realized there was a large drop ahead and he couldn’t climb back up the way he’d come.

The next morning, he shared his coordinates with someone who reported them to Capt. Sean McKeehan, of Nebraska Game and Parks, at about noon Mountain time.

Game and Parks conservation officers, along with wildlife staff, quickly located the man. Gering Fire and Rescue used repelling equipment to send a harness down to the hiker, who was then lifted down to the bottom of the canyon.

Regional West Emergency Management Services examined the hiker, and he was released.

Nebraska State Patrol and Gering Police Department also assisted at the scene.