A 55 year old male fell to his death while hiking in Zion National Park on Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. The fall occurred in a small, unnamed side canyon off State Highway 9, about two miles west of the East Entrance of the park. The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of family. The incident is currently under investigation by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with the National Park Service.
At approximately 3 p.m. yesterday, a visitor who witnessed the incident reported it to park rangers at the East Entrance of the park. The reporting party stated that a man had fallen about 20 feet, landed mainly on his head and was unconscious when he had left to get help. The victim’s hiking partners responded immediately and began CPR. Park rangers, who are also medics, arrived on the scene in about 12 minutes and continued CPR with the use of a Life Pak and Automated External Defibrillator, but were unable to revive him. The victim was then transferred to the Kane County Sheriff’s Medical Examiner.
More information on this incident will be released once the investigation is complete and the victim’s family has been notified.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
