Fredonia, AZ - Shortly after midnight, Kane County Sheriff’s Office searchers located missing person Karen Klein at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Ms. Klein had walked approximately 26 miles since Thursday afternoon in search of help for herself, husband and son whose vehicle had become stuck on a forest service road. When Search and Rescue teams located Ms. Klein she was conscious and communicating and suffering from cold exposure. She was treated on scene by rescuers and transported to Kane County Hospital in Kanab. She is expected to be transferred to the hospital in St. George, UT for further treatment.

Although snow had fallen since Ms. Klein first left on foot to seek help, Kane County Sheriff’s Office searchers on snowmobiles located remnants of tracks which they followed along the FS 22 road. At the same time, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office searchers were responding on snow machines from SR67. Ms. Klein was found at the gate of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon where she made entrance into a guard shack that had been closed for the season.
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office brought in a snowcat and mat tracked vehicle to her location. National Park Service also responded on snowmobiles. After initial treatment by searchers, she was transported to DeMotte Park. The time from when she was located, received initial treatment from searchers, and was transported to DeMotte Park took approximately three hours. From DeMotte Park an ambulance from Kanab which transported her to the hospital.

On Friday afternoon, her husband Eric and 10-year-old son had been able to hike to an area where they had cell service to call for help. A Ranger from Bureau of Land Management was able to locate them. Kane County Sheriff’s Office transported them to ground ambulance. Both received treatment for cold exposure including frostbite. Classic Air Medical helicopter attempted air search for Karen but had to suspend due to cloud cover. Ground search efforts by Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Kane County Sheriff’s Office continued throughout the afternoon and night.

Responders included Kane County Sheriff Glover and two Kane County Search and Rescue members on snowmobiles; Coconino County Sheriff Elect Jim Driscoll, Commander Rex Gilliland, three Coconino County Sheriff Deputies, and four Coconino County Sheriff Search and Rescue members with snowcat and a suburban outfitted with mat tracks; BLM Ranger officer; Classic Air Medical helicopter; National Park Service staff and snowmobiles; Arizona Department of Transportation driver and snowplow; and Kane County Ambulance.