RAPID CITY, S.D. – Emergency crews in the Black Hills successfully extricated a fallen hiker yesterday from the challenging Cathedral Spires trail, highlighting the difficulties inherent in backcountry rescues within the area. The incident, which began at 1:56 p.m., required a coordinated effort from multiple agencies including the Custer county SD Search & Rescue.
According to initial reports, the location of the fallen hiker was initially uncertain, a common challenge in the rugged terrain where cell service is limited and GPS coordinates often reflect the caller’s location rather than the patient’s. Responders faced a strategic decision regarding access to the patient. While the Little Devil’s Tower Trail (#4) offers a longer but less physically demanding route (1.27 miles to Cathedral Spires), erosion makes it treacherous for off-road vehicles. Conversely, the Cathedral Spires trailhead provides a shorter, more direct path (.66 miles), but its steep grade and large rocks present significant physical demands for rescuers, compounded by heavy traffic near the Needles Eye Tunnel and congested parking.
Black Hills Life Flight was immediately dispatched but had to await the ground crews to extricate the patient. Rescuers ultimately transported the patient down the trail in a wheeled litter, brought in from the Cathedral Spires trailhead. At 3:39 p.m., the patient was transferred to Custer Ambulance, which then transported them to the Life Flight helicopter waiting at the intersection of Sylvan Lake Road and Needles Highway.
Agencies involved in the rescue included Custer county SD Search & Rescue, Custer State Park rangers, Custer County Sheriff, Custer Ambulance EMTs, Black Hills Life Flight, and the Custer Volunteer Fire Department, which set up the landing zone for Life Flight. Several hikers also provided assistance during the arduous carry-out.
