A 40-year-old man died in Utah last Saturday after he fell while canyoneering at Zion National Park.
According to People, the now-deceased man fell somewhere between 150 and 200 feet while exploring the park with three friends. The fall was described as "accidental," and took place near the exit of Heaps Canyon.
For those who are unfamiliar with canyoneering, it is seemingly quite the sport. According to the National Park Service, the sport of canyoneering takes place outside, and is a unique combination of swimming, hiking, problem-solving, route finding and rappelling. Notably, Zion National Park has become well-known as one of the nation's best locations for canyoneering.
Reportedly, the tragic fall happened around 6 PM last weekend. The group of adventurers was following its permitted route at the time.
Man Falls Hundreds of Feet While Canyoneering in Zion National Park
After the fall, the Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team, alongside the Washington County Sheriff's Office rendered emergency medical care to the fallen man. Eventually, the badly injured man was extracted to a heliport near Watchman Campground. That transportation was made possible by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter.
Once at the helispot, the injured received additional aid from Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue. Moreover, Intermountain Life Flight also provided additional aid. Regardless of the heroic efforts of many, the fallen man was pronounced dead before every arriving to a hospital.
On Sunday morning, two of the three remaining canyoneers of the group were "extracted safely," by another Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter. The final canyoneer of the group rappelled down to safety later Sunday afternoon. The effort was assisted by the park's search and rescue team.
While it is certain that the deceased man fell to his death, questions still remain regarding the circumstances. As is such, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, as well as Zion National Park itself, are still investigating the tragedy.
Saturday's death in Zion is another to add to a rather long list of unfortunate deaths in national parks this year. As always, visitors should practice precaution when visiting any park. Situations can turn dangerous very quickly if proper safety measures are not followed.
