Quicksand traps hiker inside Arches National Park

MOAB Utah KSTU A seasoned hiker s worst nightmare became reality Sunday morning when he ascertained 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 commented The experienced desert hiker who has logged thousands of miles on trails was navigating the upper end of Courthouse Wash around an hour before sunrise when his left leg broke through what appeared to be solid ground I was able to pull it out and then I shifted all my weight to my right foot And I sunk up to the knee Dirks declared It felt like I had stepped into concrete and then it hardened around my leg I couldn t even move it a millimeter Contrary to cartoon depictions Dirks discovered the reality of quicksand differs dramatically from Hollywood portrayals How it s depicted on TV is nothing like it is in real life he explained The human body is more buoyant than the quicksand so you ll never sink to above your head Real quicksand is more like thick slimy mud than a sand trap While online hiking experts often recommend leaning back to distribute weight Dirks faced an additional threat hypothermia in the slot canyon s frigid conditions with temperatures in the s It s cold at night and to spend it in cold water for a long period of time that has serious consequences commented Scott Sollee with Grand County Search and Rescue Quicksand rescues are extremely rare according to Sollee although hiker rescues represent their preponderance common calls He recalls only one other quicksand situation a woman trapped for hours in July on the same trail Jacob Paul with the Washington County Search and Rescue group communicated FOX News that he doesn t recollect ever dealing with a quicksand rescue there In February a Utah Department of Society Safety helicopter gang and rangers in Zion National Park assisted a man stuck in quicksand there Dirks endured a two-hour ordeal stuck at a -degree angle which he compared to bending forward in a ski boot His preparation proved crucial a GPS satellite messenger allowed him to alert administration with his exact location I realized that that s the closest I ve ever come to dying I owe them my life he mentioned The rescue highlighted the importance of proper exigency communication devices Sollee emphasized that hikers should use their satellite devices right now rather than attempting to relocate for cell provision We ve had several people have those in-reach devices and not use them and then go somewhere to call and then leave that area If you need to call hit the SOS button on your satellite device if you have it because that will tell us exactly where you re at Sollee stated Both Sollee and Dirks noted the rarity of such incidents makes prevention advice limited though they recommend awareness when traversing areas with visible ground moisture The best preparation involves having backup plans hiking with companions informing others of your journey and carrying location devices for emergencies