The Department of the Interior confirmed a 58-year-old man died while rappelling in a canyon in Zion National Park on Sunday, Oct. 26.
The National Park Service and local law enforcement received a 911 text around 12:10 p.m. saying that the currently unidentified man had fallen at the final rappel of Pine Creek Canyon.
“Bystanders initiated CPR while NPS first responders hiked through difficult terrain to reach the patient,” said Interior Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Peace.
The man was airlifted by helicopter to a medical examiner’s office after he was pronounced dead at 1:42 p.m. His rappelling companion was rescued from the cliff face by NPS personnel.
Slips and falls are the most frequent cause of death at Zion National Park, with 29 incidents occurring between 2007 to 2024. This is at least the second time in the last year that someone has died in Pine Creek Canyon, one of the most technically challenging areas in the park to navigate.
“If you find yourself halfway down a rappel in free space, and you can’t touch the wall, and you get stuck, it’s not easy to get yourself out of there,” said Jess Kavanaugh, a Zion Adventure tour guide.
It’s unknown whether shutdown-caused layoffs resulted in a slower response from NPS first responders, and the Interior Department hasn’t said whether the rappellers had the proper permits. Washington County Sheriff’s Office officials and the NPS are still investigating the accident.
Author: Payson Davis
Photo courtesy of Rick Bowmer, AP News
Editor: Hannah Clove
