US EditionHiker Rescued From Quicksand in Utah National Park
Austin Dirks, an experienced hiker, was trapped knee-deep in quicksand on Arches National Park’s Hayduke Trail and rescued after contacting emergency crews via satellite device.
- On Saturday, Dec. 6, Austin Dirks, a 30-year-old hiker from Glenwood Springs, Colorado, became trapped in quicksand on the Hayduke Trail through Arches National Park, and Grand County Search and Rescue located him with a drone, freeing him about two hours later.
- Shade and freezing air left Dirks' leg frozen after he stepped into quicksand beneath a one-inch deep flowing river in Courthouse Wash canyon area, complicating escape.
- After trying to free himself for over 30 minutes, Dirks used a Garmin satellite communication device, typing with "frozen fingers, one letter at a time," and rescuers extracted him with a ladder and traction board.
- After treatment, Dirks posted his account online, credited the National Park Service, Grand County Search and Rescue, EMS, and Garmin dispatchers for his rescue, and answered questions in comments.
- Marshall warned that even experienced hikers can fall victim, noting Dirks shared coordinates 38°40'55.3"N 109°38'45.3"W and quicksand survival maneuvers, but `He did essentially all of the right things, but still even with his level of expertise, he fell victim to it.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Man hiking in Utah's Arches National Park steps into every child's worst nightmare is realized
Every kid worries about quicksand, that sticky stuff in cartoons and adventure movies that swallows heroes whole. Reality, however, is far less dramatic and far rarer, except for one experienced backpacker, Austin Dirks, whose weekend hike through Arches National Park on December 7, 2025, turned into a real-life quicksand nightmare. The quicksand incident A seasoned Utah hiker became trapped in quicksand for hours while hiking in Arches National…
Quicksand traps hiker inside Arches National Park
MOAB, Utah (KSTU) — A seasoned hiker’s worst nightmare became reality Sunday morning when he found himself trapped knee-deep in quicksand during a solo trek through Arches National Park. “Before this trip, I honestly thought quicksand was more of a folklore or a legend,” Austin Dirks said. The experienced desert hiker, who has logged thousands […]
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