On June 18, 2016 at 6:18 pm Zion Dispatch received a dropped 911 call regarding an ankle injury in the Left Fork (The Subway). The Reporting Party (RP) stated that there were 8 people in the group, one of which was a doctor, and they did not believe they would be able to hike out on their own. The location of the cell phone call placed the RP just below the exit gully on the trail. Zion dispatch attempted to contact the RP but was unable to. Multiple voice and text messages were left on the phone asking him to call.
At 7:10pm, the decision was made to send a Search and Rescue team into the Left Fork. A medic and one SAR team member were enroute to the trailhead prepared for an overnight. Another SAR team member was at the trailhead interviewing hikers as they exited to get updates on the patient.
At approximately 7:45 pm, the SAR responder at the trailhead got word the patient had made it to the top of the exit gully and was on their way to the trailhead. About the same time, the RP called back and said he was asked to hike out and call for help as the patient was unable to walk.
At 8:00pm, the patient and rest of the group arrived at the Left Fork trailhead and refused all assistance. All resources were told to stand down.
The trip leader said they did ask the RP to call for help. The injury (fractured fibula) occurred while jumping into one of the pools at the bottom of the last rappel, within the Subway formation. The patient was given local anesthesia by the doctor on the trip to assist them in hiking out.