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Air St. Luke's crew helps save injured hiker from a remote mountainside in a daring rescue

The hiker fell about 40 feet down a cliff and the steep terrain make it impossible for the helicopter land.

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho — An Air St. Luke's crew pulled off a daring mountainside rescue in a remote area of Custer County on Thursday and got an injured hiker to safety.

The hiker had fallen 40 feet down a cliff in a remote part of a central Idaho mountainside and the steep terrain made it impossible for the helicopter to safely land.

Rescuers had to get out of the helicopter and hike up the mountainside to get to the hiker.

Another rescue team from Montana-based Two Bear Air was called in to airlift the injured hiker out. 

Because of the late hour, windy conditions on the mountain and communications issues with the helicopter pilot, officials said, it was not safe to pick up the remaining two members of the Air St. Luke's crew, so they had to spend the night on the mountainside.

They were rescued the following morning by another Air St. Luke's helicopter crew out of Boise. According to St. Luke's, the crew on the ground had emergency survival gear with them.

Weather conditions overnight were cold and windy – and the location prevented the team from being able to set up a tent or build a fire for warmth. Instead, they used “life blankets” as a barrier from the wet, cold ground and sheltered themselves by a rock.

Neither crew member was injured in the ordeal, and the hiker is expected to recover.

RELATED: Eastern Oregon fire crew puts training to the test in real-life rescue

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