Hikers Rescued After Falling from Icy Mountain Trail: 'First Victim Slid into the Second, Causing Both to Slide'

A group of hikers who fell down an icy mountain slope in Nevada have been rescued, authorities said.

The group was "coming down the trail when one slipped in the extremely icy conditions," Friends of Las Vegas Metro Search and Rescue shared in a post on Facebook on Thursday, Dec. 13.

"The first victim slid into the second, causing both to slide down the steep...side of the mountain," they added.

According to the organization, the first victim fell about 100 feet before colliding with a tree, which caused "severe leg injuries."

Meanwhile, the second victim slid another 100 feet or so before coming to rest on a ledge. That individual did not suffer any injuries, they added, going on to note that the third hiker in the group was the one to call 911.

Related: Barking Dog Leads Rescuers to Hiker Stranded 170 Feet Below Remote Trail in Hawaii

Although a search and rescue team was able to get one officer to the first victim, "extremely gusty" conditions foiled attempts to bring additional officers to the area by the same method. Fortunately a group was able to hike to the scene, where they planned to rescue the second hiker via "a rope rescue and carry out," the group said.

But as the hiking team got to the scene of the accident, weather conditions improved and the helicopter was able to return, according to authorities. The second injured hiker was then hoisted from the area.

The hiking SAR team and third hiker, who was unhurt, all returned down the mountain without incident.

Related: Hiker, 74, Rescued by Coast Guard Helicopter After Falling from Oregon Bridge: Video

Just three days later, the Las Vegas Metro Search and Rescue team conducted a similar rescue operation on the South Loop trail, in which a hiker slipped and injured their lower leg, the department wrote in an Instagram post.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Sunday, Dec. 15 rescue was the fourth such operation in recent weeks, according to police. Almost all of those accidents involved improper or lack of equipment for the wintery weather conditions.

The SAR team is working with the U.S. Forest Service to make sure that necessary signs are posted to warn hikers of the conditions, authorities said.

Police added, "Please plan for these conditions if you are going to recreate in the area it is not safe to hike without crampons or micro spikes on these [icy] trails."

Read the original article on People