'Camelback Santa' replaces Christmas tree on Camelback Mountain

PHOENIX (FOX 10) -- The man known as "Camelback Santa" is hiking up Camelback Mountain to replace the Christmas tree that was thrown over the edge.

FOX 10 learned that the Christmas tree that adorns Camelback Mountain during the Holiday season was thrown over the edge.

On Tuesday, FOX 10 reported that the tree, which has become a longtime Valley holiday tradition, has made a comeback despite pushback from the Phoenix parks board, with the tree being hauled up the mountain each morning, and brought back down each night.

On Wednesday, the man known as "Camelback Santa" announced on his unverified Facebook page that someone threw the tree over the edge, just after sunrise. "Camelback Santa," however, said 63-year-old Jeff Plamann helped him scale the steep side of the mountain to recovered it. The tree was secured to the post, as a singing group started to sing O'Tannenbaum.

"Camelback Santa" said he and Plamann were scraped up during the tree recovery process, and someone called the Phoenix Police helicopter to see if they needed a rescue, but they were able to bring the tree up to the top.