Incidents:Man falls in Heaps Canyon

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Man falls in Heaps Canyon
Date 2024/10/06
Location Heaps Canyon
Severity Fatality
Canyoneering-related
Yes
SAR involvement
Yes
Navigation problem
No
Swift water problem
Environmental problem
No
Communication problem
No
Planning problem
No
Skills problem
No
Body movement problem
No
Rigging problem
No
Rappel problem
Yes
Insufficient gear
No
Gear failure
No

Summary[edit]

A canyoneer fell an estimated 150-200ft on the final rappel due to loosing control of their brake strand.

It was confirmed by members of the party the victim was using a Kong Hydrobot descender.

The victim survived the fall, but died before reaching hospital.

Extract from NPS statement...

The deceased, a 40-year-old man, was canyoneering with three others when he fell between 150 and 200 feet at approximately 6 pm. The group of four were following their permitted itinerary through Heaps Canyon when the incident occurred.

After receiving the report of the fall, Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and rendered emergency medical care. The man was extracted by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to a helispot near Watchman Campground, where he received additional aid from Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue and Intermountain Life Flight. The man was pronounced dead before he could be transported by air ambulance to a hospital.

The morning of Oct. 6, two of the three remaining canyoneers were extracted safely by DPS helicopter. Zion’s search and rescue team assisted the third with rappelling down the canyon, reaching the ground safely at approximately 2:00 pm.

Accounts[edit]

https://www.ksl.com/article/51149710/man-falls-dies-while-rappelling-in-zion-national-park

https://apnews.com/article/zion-national-park-death-canyoneering-1aa0fe6b4495f9b6dd47424232a704b6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f84t_QioMv4

https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/news/canyoneer-dies-after-accidental-fall-at-zion-national-park.htm