A male hiker was injured May 15 after falling about 80 feet off a cliff on the Blue Mountain at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Washington Township.

State Police, Troop M, Bethlehem, say troopers were dispatched around 6:40 p.m. to the area of Mountain Road and Route 873 for a report of an individual who fell into a heavily wooded area.

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

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 flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.

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