Mountain biker injured on Bearclaw Poppy Trail

ST. GEORGE – A mountain bike crash on the popular Bearclaw Poppy Trail Friday afternoon resulted in a cyclist being taken to the hospital with possible back injuries.

Around 3:40 p.m., reports came into the St. George Communications Center from other mountain bikers who came across the rider who had crashed approximately three or four miles in from the Bearclaw Poppy Trailhead, St. George Fire Battalion Chief Ken Guard said.

A mountain biker with a possible back injury was taken to the hospital following a crash on the Bearclaw Poppy Trail, St. George, Utah, Oct. 6, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Personnel from the St. George Fire Department and Gold Cross Ambulance were directed to the crash scene by the bikers who originally came across the man.

The possible cause of the crash was not determined at the time, though Guard said the rough terrain of the trail may have played a role in it.

Initial reports indicated the man was possibly rendered unconscious by the crash. However, he was conscious and complaining of back pain when responders arrived.

The injured cyclist was strapped on a backboard and placed on a six-wheeled utility task vehicle, that was able to handle the terrain in relative stability.

It’s not uncommon for such incidents to require a response from Intermountain Healthcare’s Life Flight helicopter to provide the patient with a smooth ride to Dixie Regional Regional Medical Center. Using the helicopter can be an expensive ride for patients, Guard said.

The man was transferred to a waiting Gold Cross Ambulance unit at the Bearclaw Poppy Trailhead and taken to the hospital.

The UTV the Fire Department used for this and related emergencies was acquired over two years ago through a grant provided by Firehouse Subs.

The vehicle comes in quite handy for areas like the Bearclaw Poppy Trail where accessibility to injured persons by responders can prove challenging otherwise, Guard said.

Read more: Fire Department gets ATV through public safety grant

This report is based on statements from emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Ed. note: Though referred to as the “Navajo Trail” on the video above, it is actually the Bearclaw Poppy Trail. Navajo Drive in Bloomington leads up the Bearclaw Poppy Trailhead.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

 

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1 Comment

  • Caveat_Emptor October 7, 2017 at 9:33 am

    BCP is a series of mild trails, with excellent access for an ATV/UTV shown here, unlike some of the terrific trails within Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
    We recently had another guy suffer a crash, probably at one of the only places within the BCP trail system that has any steepness.
    Most of us take an orientation ride first, before testing the limits of our brakes and riding skills. This trail is so tame that the Senior Games use it………
    Glad to hear the poor guy was not stuck with the enormous cost of a helo ride, when ground transportation was perfectly adequate.

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