Woman Stuck in Canyon for 13 Hours Shares Harrowing Tale

A 26-year-old woman, Madison Hart, found herself in a terrifying situation while hiking in Arizona's Wildcat Tank Canyon. In a TikTok video, Hart recounts the event, offering a harrowing reminder of the dangers of the great outdoors and the importance of preparedness.

What Happened?

• Around 12 p.m., Hart and her friend began their hike, reaching the top of the canyon by 1 p.m.

• Hart noted the extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 103 degrees Fahrenheit, according to AccuWeather. [https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/page/86040/july-weather/2132885?year=2024]

• As they stemmed down the canyon, exhaustion and heat took a toll on Hart, causing her to become shaky and slide down.

• "I started panicking...and I slid." Hart recounted. "I started going deeper into the canyon and just slid to the bottom."

• Hart's friend also slid, but continued on, while Hart found herself stuck from the hips down, unable to move further due to the curve of the canyon and a puddle of water.**

• Hart's friend sprang into action, lighting a fire, moving rocks, and attempting to call for help despite limited signal.**

• After three hours, the friend sent Snapchat messages that alerted their roommate, who called for aid.

The Rescue:

• The sheriff's office received notice at around 5:30 p.m. on July 19 from the National Parks Service and coordinated a response with multiple agencies.

• Hart's friend was rescued first as she had climbed further and was uninjured.

• Hart, trapped another 100 yards down, was rescued soon after, having been stuck for almost 13 hours without water for 9 hours.

• "My legs had turned purple from standing for so long," Hart said, also mentioning nerve damage in her arm and an ankle injury.

• Rescue officials flew Hart to a hospital, where she spent a night receiving treatment for kidney issues and dehydration, among other injuries.

“If I went forward or backward, I would have been stuck completely and gotten a crush injury where I'm not able to move and then I basically suffocate. So, I decided to stay put." — Madison Hart, recounting her realization of the gravity of the situation.

Final Thoughts:

"Accidents happen...The whole thing was embarrassing. I did not anticipate getting stuck. I did feel like a failure. It was very embarrassing. I never wanted to be those people. I never did want to waste resources or waste people's time or energy...[But] thank you, guys. Just glad to be alive." — Madison Hart, expressing her gratitude to rescuers.

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Link to Hart's TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@elfyouall/video/7396160491774610731

Original report by Saman Shafiq for USA TODAY.