Horse team rescues injured hiker

A search team on horseback rescued a missing California man Tuesday who had broken his leg while hiking alone along a cliff in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

According to a media release from the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, 68-year-old George Brown was hauled out of the wilderness on horseback and airlifted by Mercy Flight to Great Falls.

Lazy H Outfitters initially reported Brown missing at 10:30 a.m. on Monday. The reporting party said Brown had left their camp at the Pretty Prairie Ranger Station on Sunday around noon. He had taken a backpack, a couple of sandwiches, and they had not been able to locate him. They had been searching for him since he had not arrived back at camp later that evening.

A search-and-rescue team of four people was dispatched to respond to the area. Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry was also contacted for assistance with the Two Bear Air rescue helicopter. The Back Country Horsemen of Montana were also called in for additional help.

Following a day of searching, crews found Brown alive early Tuesday morning with a broken lower left leg.

The search-and-rescue team was able to move Brown down to a trail and onto a horse, and took him back to the ranger station where Mercy Flight transported him to Great Falls.

According to the report, Brown was interested in seeing a cliff north of the camp. He walked about a mile and then went off trail. It was so steep that he turned around and was pushing with his legs and sliding on his bottom. He made it a significant way toward the cliff when he lost his footing, slid and broke his leg. He stayed at that location until rescue crews found him Tuesday.

Brown is from Tiburon, California.