Bridger Valley Fire emergency medical services responded to an injury on the east fork of the Blacks Fork Trailhead Sunday afternoon, according to a Facebook post by Uinta County Fire and Ambulance. Crews reportedly walked more than a mile to reach the hiker.

Uinta County Fire and Ambulance Chief Administrative Officer Eric Quinney told the Herald approximately two and a half hours elapsed before EMS was able to assist the injured man.

“That included the time it took his fellow hikers to hike out to cell service to call for help,” Quinney said.

The response itself took slightly over two hours from the time EMS personnel reached the hiker to the time he was placed in a medical helicopter. He was then transported to Salt Lake City. While smaller incidents have occurred, no responses of this scale have been undertaken this summer, Quinney said.

“We certainly have a few calls every summer… either hikers or horseback riders or motorcycle riders who get injured up in the mountains while recreating,” he said, “but this is certainly the most extensive one that we’ve had this summer so far.”

Quinney said those who take to the hiking paths, especially in areas without service, should carry a GPS capable of sending emergency signals.

“Those things become beneficial in terms of getting help faster,” he said, emphasizing that such a device can save hours during emergencies in remote areas.

He added that activities in Wyoming’s wilderness carry an inherent risk of lengthy EMS responses and advised the public to travel prepared, especially as hunting season approaches and temperatures decrease.