Woman Trapped in Remote Canyon Rescued After 13-Hour Ordeal

A woman had a scary experience in mid July when she got trapped in a remote canyon in northern Arizona while hiking with a friend.

Madison Hart recorded was she thought were her “final moments” after getting wedged stuck at Wildcat Tank Canyon, located north of the city of Page, on July 19.

Recalling the experience, Hart told Storyful she got stuck in a spot where she could “barely fit” after she and her friend climbed down an area consisting of “a few hundred feet of stemming.”

“I was stuck from my hips, unable to sit or lie down, " Hart told Storyful.

“If I went forward or backward, I would have been stuck completely and gotten a crush injury,” Hart said.

The two friends tried lighting a fire to send a smoke signal, screamed for help, and called emergency services “over 10 times with no signal.” The hikers were eventually rescued after Hart’s friend finally got enough signal to briefly get in touch with her roommate, who sent for help.

“The rescue team was able to get to my friend much faster than me,” Hart explained, saying her friend was rescued after being stuck for seven hours. “The rescue team got me out after about 13 hours. My legs had turned purple from standing for so long,” she said.

According to Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Hart was found approximately 300-feet into the canyon with an ankle injury and was unable to climb to the location of the first rescue team.

“I’m glad me and my friend are alive, and so thankful to every single person who helped us. They saved our lives and I will never forget that,” Hart told Storyful. Credit: Madison Hart via Storyful

Video transcript

All right, hold on.