Published October 26, 2026 02:56PM
Search and rescue teams mobilized to help a backpacker in Arizona’s Yavapai County on October 24 after a swollen creek swept his camping gear away.
Fall in Yavapai County typically comes with cool, dry conditions, making it a popular time for hikers to log time on the trail. But the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for northern and central Arizona on October 21 that remained in effect through the evening ofthe 22, advising visitors to be wary of flash flooding potential in areas that are normally dry or low. A strong stormbrought damaging winds, large hail, and flash floods across the region from a system that came from the California coast.
The man was seven days into his backpacking trip when he lost his equipment. He managed to send a message to family alerting them about his situation just before his phone’s battery died.
Rescuers with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO)
Rescuers with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) Ae incident, combing the area near Sheep Bridge off Bloody Basin Road for any clues to the hiker’s whereabouts. On Saturday morning, aerial crews spotted the hiker, and brought him to safety
“Although he was exhausted, scratched up, and at his physical limits, he was in good health,” the YCSO wrote.
This incident came just one day after the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a group of four people who were sitting on the top of a carwhile floods swept through the Wet Beaver Creek crossing near Dragonshead and Culpepper Ranch roads. Deputies said that the vehicle moved about 150 feet downstream. Footage from the rescue shows swift muddied water at about the height of the vehicle’s headlights.
While rain in October is normal in central
While rain in October is normal in central Arizona, extensive flooding is less common. Rainfall reports showedthat parts of Yavapai County received more than an inch of precipitation over the course of 48 hours, putting them at a much higher risk of flash flooding.
In response to the first incident, Yavapai County Sheriff’s officials urged hikers to, “know your physical limitations, understand trail conditions, and check the weather forecast for your route.”
