Mountaineer Critically Injured Near Bridal Veil Falls, Hoisted From Icy Slope

Overview

• Two hikers following a blood trail found Jacque Tietjen unconscious at the base of a roughly 45-degree slope near the waterfall.
• Utah County Search and Rescue and North Fork Fire coordinated a DPS helicopter hoist, then transferred her to a medevac bound for Utah Valley Hospital.
• A family GoFundMe reports multiple brain bleeds, a large skull fracture, facial fractures, and a small carotid tear, with Tietjen sedated as doctors monitor brain swelling.
• Authorities say the cause is still under review and believe she fell a significant distance, noting the site is a rugged, shaded area only a quarter-mile from a paved road.
• Rescuers and guides urge season-appropriate gear, warning that melt–refreeze has left sections hard and icy and recommending traction devices such as crampons or Microspikes.