BY TERRY AHNER

tahner@tnonline.com

A male hiker was injured after falling about 80 feet off a cliff on the Blue Mountain at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Washington Township Wednesday evening.

State police at Bethlehem said troopers were dispatched around 6:40 p.m. to the area of Mountain Road/Route 873 for a report of an individual who fell into a heavily wooded area.

Upon arrival, it was determined that an 18-year-old male was hiking and climbing with two friends, a 17-year-old from Allentown, and a 17-year-old from Schnecksville, in the area known as “Devin’s Point.”

While searching the area, troopers located the injured hiker and provided first aid to the him while directing Search and Rescue personnel to their location.

The Search and Rescue operation took about three hours to extricate the injured hiker, who was Medevaced to Lehigh Valley Hospital — Cedar Crest, for his injuries.

Also assisting at the scene were Northern Valley EMS, Slatington Fire Department, Emerald Fire Department, Lehigh County Technical Rescue, East Allen Fire Department and EMS, NOVA EMS, Lehigh Valley EMS, Walnutport EMS, and Slatedale Fire Department.