Manti Boy Scouts rescued after becoming trapped in slot canyon

Some Manti Boy Scouts escaped injury Sunday after were rescued from a southern Utah slot canyon.

Wayne County sheriff's Deputy Matthew Webster said six Scouts and three adult leaders were hiking Saturday in the slot canyon known as Pandora's Box in Capitol Reef National Park about 6 miles east of Torrey, when one of the leaders became exhausted.

Webster said the hikers decided to split up, leaving behind two leaders and two Scouts. About 1 a.m., someone called Wayne County to report the troop was overdue. Webster said the remaining Scouts and leader hiked out of the canyon about 1:45 a.m. He said the Wayne County Search and Rescue team left about 7:30 a.m. to rescue the four remaining hikers.

He said rescuers attached a rope and harness to the quartet and pulled them up the canyon wall where they were loaded into the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter and flown to safety about 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Webster said the group was somewhat prepared to enter the canyon, but cautioned that Pandora's Box is a fairly difficult slot canyon that requires technical equipment.

jstecklein@sltrib.com

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