Two visitors injured on muddy Waiheʻe Ridge Trail in separate incidents, airlifted to safety

Two visitors were airlifted from the Waiheʻe Ridge Trail during separate incidents on Wednesday in which they slipped and fell on the muddy trail and were injured.

In the first incident, a 60-year-old woman from Canada injured her ankle during a fall on the trail at around 11:55 a.m. on Jan. 12, 2022.

In the second incident, a 61-year-old woman from Maryland injured her arm during a fall on the trail, about three hours later, at around 2:51 p.m.

In both incidents, personnel aboard the Maui Fire Departmentʻs Air 1 helicopter were unable to reach the injured hiker due to cloud cover. Rescue 10 personnel hiked the victim down to a landing zone in each incident, and both were airlifted to awaiting medics.

The woman from Canada declined transport, and elected to seek medical care on her own. The woman from Maryland was transported by medics to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.

Both mountain rescue incidents involved response from Engine 1, Rescue 10, and Air 1.