Quicksand Exists & It’s in Utah!

Remember in the 80s when we were all afraid that quicksand was around every corner? Akin to razor blades in our Halloween candy, or Pop Rocks & Mt. Dew didn’t kill anyone. But quicksand… that was legit… right? According to my research, fewer than five people have died from quicksand. That means more people have been killed by vending machines falling on them than by sinking into quicksand. Well, it almost happened this week in Moab.

QUICKSAND ACTUALLY EXISTS

An experienced backpacker had a close encounter with the 80s this week after becoming trapped in quicksand in Arches National Park, near Moab. While traversing the upper reaches of Courthouse Wash, Austin Dirks, 33, who was on a section of the Hayduke Trail, suddenly sank up to their knee in a seemingly innocuous patch of saturated sand. Efforts to dig out were hampered by the icy stream filling the hole, and after thirty minutes, the hiker used a Garmin satellite messenger to call for help. 

COLD MAY KILL BEFORE QUICKSAND

Grand County Search and Rescue responded, deploying a drone and eventually a full team equipped with ladders and boards to build a stable path. After being stuck for hours in the freezing water, the rescue team successfully freed the Austin, underscoring that the real danger of quicksand isn't sinking entirely, but the risk of hypothermia and exposure in the remote Utah wilderness.

THE DANGERS OF SOLO HIKING

We don’t recommend hiking in Utah solo. Without a partner to provide first aid, share water, or hike out for help, a sprained ankle, a sudden flash flood, or getting lost because of covered trail markers can quickly escalate into a life-threatening situation. That’s definitely something we learned in the 80s.