By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of Goblin Valley State Park

Fifty feet stood between the floor of Goblin Valley and a child stuck on one of the many cliffs overlooking its scenic vistas as Division of Natural Resources officers and park officials performed a technical rescue for the child on Monday afternoon.

According to Emery County Sheriff Tyson Huntington, “A middle school student with an adventurous spirit found themselves ledged in above a 50 to 60 foot cliff.” The child reportedly remained calm as help rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival, rangers from GVSP and the DNR worked quickly to rig ropes for a rescue. After scaling the cliff, a DNR officer secured the child and successfully brought them back down to the valley floor. 

“I am so grateful for the Goblin Valley folks and the DNR for responding quickly to save this young child,” Huntington said in a statement to Castle Country Radio. “ We train with the DNR and GVSP as often as we can, and it seems to have paid off.”

Both Huntington and the park were clear that the child in the situation had not done anything wrong, with the Sheriff stating,” To be clear, the rescued child did nothing wrong, any of us, no matter the skill level, can find ourselves needing some help once in a while.”

In a social media post, Goblin Valley Officials encouraged visitors to have fun, but also to keep safety in mind: “While the rescue was a success, it is a good reminder that it is easy to get in over your head while scrambling on rocks. It is usually far easier to go up than to go down, and this can quickly put you in a scary position. When visiting the park, we encourage you to have fun, but please focus on safety at the same time. Don’t have “too much fun”!”

The rescue marks the latest in a busy stretch for first responders and park officials in Goblin Valley, as warmer temperatures bring more visitors to the park.