Hiker rescued from Knife Edge

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MILLINOCKET, MAINE (09/21/2023) (readMedia)-- A 43-year old female hiker suffered a broken ankle yesterday on Katahdin's Knife Edge, leading Baxter State Park staff to request aviation assets from the Maine Army National Guard.

Bangor's Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) received the request at 4:42pm and immediately began assembling a flight crew. A UH-60 Black Hawk departed the AASF at 5:37pm and was on station at 6:44pm.

With the help of her party, the patient was able to relocate to an area below the cloud cover, near the intersection of the Helon Taylor and Knife Edge trails, enabling a safe extraction. The patient was then cable-hoisted to the aircraft and transported to Millinocket Municipal Airport, where she was transferred to an ambulance.

"Having the ability to request federal resources for rescues in Baxter State Park is crucial to the timely extraction from a high mountain wilderness environment", said Kevin Adam, director of Baxter State Park.

"We're glad to have been a part of this success story, working alongside Baxter staff and local first responders," said Maj. Gen. Douglas Farnham, Maine's adjutant general. "On top of our federal mission, it's our privilege to be able to support our neighbors and communities. Our men and women train hard to live up to our motto of 'Always Ready, Always There.'"

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Stock images: Katahdin from a UH-60 (Maj. Carl Lamb), cockpit view from a UH-60 approaching Katahdin (CW5 Jon Campbell) and training on hoist operations (WO1 Patrik Orcutt).