SPRINGFIELD (AP) - A southwest Missouri man broke two vertebrae but survived a harrowing fall off a cliff while hiking in northern Arkansas.
Camron McLaughlin, 20, was in good condition Wednesday at Mercy Hospital in his hometown of Springfield, where he was being treated for injuries from his fall Sunday while hiking through Hemmed in Hollow along the Buffalo National River.
His friend, Zach Collette, 21, of Ozark, said they were hiking about 200 feet above the valley floor - a 100-foot hill and 100 feet of ledges - when he heard McLaughlin scream and then heard a thud, the Springfield News-Leader reported. McLaughlin's foot had become wedged in the opening of a rock and he fell about 25 feet to a cliff ledge.
Collette climbed back down the cliff and ran about three miles before he could get telephone service.
"Probably 20 minutes later the first medics showed up," Collette said. "They eventually got a team up top and a team below and set up ropes down the cliff side. They tied Camron in a litter basket and started lowering him down by a rope, with one guy going down with him. About halfway down his pain got worse and the paramedic gave him some pain meds."
The rescue occurred while daylight was fading and a storm front moved through, dropping temperatures from 66 to 35.
The Buffalo National River Search and Rescue team lowered McLaughlin about 30 feet down the cliff to a waiting team that moved him further down the steep hill to the trail below. On the trail, rescuers attached a wheel to McLaughlin's litter and began hauling him out of the area.
"Eighteen people took turns pulling him out of the canyon," Collette said. "They'd push for a while then switch to some fresh guys. It was 3 a.m. before they got him to an ambulance."
About 50 people from several organizations were involved in McLaughlin's rescue. He was taken to a Harrison, Arkansas, hospital, then airlifted to Mercy hospital in Springfield.
His dad, Chris McLaughlin, said his son suffered no paralysis. He said Zach's father called him about 6 p.m. Sunday to tell him about the accident and rescue effort.
"The most amazing thing about this story is that so many selfless people and agencies came together to help our son, including the Red Cross who came out to help all of them stay warm, with food and drink," Chris McLaughlin said. "God is good! For our family this has been amazing to see."