Father And Sons Survive Three Days In Utah Canyon

A father and his sons survived three days in a Utah canyon. Last week Jason Knight and his two sons, ages 8 and 11, were hiking when they became hopelessly lost. The 35-year-old father said emergency preparedness helped them survive the frightening ordeal.

Knight said he and his sons planned a five-hour hike into Leprechaun Canyon. Unfortunately, they descended into the wrong canyon. The father said “The entrances are, literally, less than a thousand feet apart.”

The father and two sons ended up at the bottom of Sandthrax Canyon without any means of escape.

When Knight realized they were lost, he led his sons to a ledge. He told them to stay on the ledge, as they were more likely to be spotted by rescue crews. MSN reports that the father gave his son’s a granola bar and some water before leaving to find help.

Knight said he eventually became trapped in a crevice — 150 feet away from his sons. Although he was frightened, he knew he left the boys “in a place where a helicopter could easily find them.”

The father and his sons spent three days trapped in Sandthrax Canyon. Knight said emergency preparedness saved their lives:

“You have to have a plan, and you have to stick to that plan… You have to teach your kids what to do in an emergency like that.”

On Saturday, rescue crews spotted the boys on the ledge. As reported by Today, Knight said “the helicopter was a definitely good sound.” Although the boys were easy to find, Knight was trapped deep inside the crevice:

“I was really far down into the canyon, so I actually had to climb up 50 feet and signal them, and it took four or five times for them to see me down at the bottom.”

Rescue teams from Garfield and Wayne Counties worked together to rescue the father and his sons from the canyon. Although all three were dehydrated, they escaped without serious injury.

Knight said he is thankful he and his sons were rescued, as they “were in a very bad situation.” Following the rescue, the father started an online fundraising campaign to help pay for the rescue.

Knight hopes to raise $90,000 for the rescue teams. The site has currently raised $275. Although the father and his sons survived three days, they credit the teams with saving their lives.

[Image via NBC News]