A girl apparently fell to her death while hiking on Angels Landing (stock photo) in Zion National Park
A 13-year-old girl fell to her death while hiking on Angels Landing in Zion National Park, authorities say.
The body of the girl, who has not been identified but is apparently from Utah, was found along the park’s West Rim Trail in Refrigerator Canyon, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
A park spokesman said: ‘All fingers point to the fact that she fell from Angels Landing.’
If this is confirmed to be true and if suspicious activity is ruled out, then the girl would be the 7th official fatality from the trail since 2004. The most recent fall after the girl’s was in March 2017.
The girl was hiking the trail with family but turned back on her own, park officials said. Her family has been notified, authorities said.
The girl had done the hike before, and the trail was clear of ice and snow, the Associated Press reported.
Investigators are searching for an eyewitness but say multiple people heard the fall around 5pm on Monday. Hikers found the body shortly thereafter.
‘The injuries sustained were consistent with a high elevation fall,’ park officials said in a statement.
If investigators confirm her death was caused by a fall from the trail, then she would be the seventh such fatality since 2004. The most recent fall after the girl’s was in March 2017. The hike has 1,488 feet of elevation gain and has warning signs (right) about fatalities
The girl’s body was found near the West Rim Trail (stock photo) in Refrigerator Canyon, below Angels Landing
The trail to Angels Landing from the West Rim Trail is 5.4 miles, takes around four hours to complete and has 1,488 feet of elevation gain, per the park’s guide.
The trail, which is one of the more popular hikes in the park, is rated as ‘strenuous’.
The park’s guide notes: ‘Long drop-offs. Not for young children or anyone fearful of heights. Last section is a route along a steep, narrow ridge to the summit.’
Hikers are able to hold onto rails and handlebars as the hike gets quite steep towards the top.
The summit is quite exposed and offers vistas of the canyon below.
Weather.com notes the daily high at Zion National Park was 56 degrees Fahrenheit, while the low was 27 degrees.
Briefly, the trail closed as investigators looked at the causes of her fall. It was reopened on Tuesday afternoon.
‘I think we’ve done everything we possibly can,’ spokesman John Marciano said regarding the trail’s safety.
‘Every time there is an incident like this, we continue to investigate how we can make the trail more safe.’
‘This is an extremely sad event. Our thoughts go out to this visitor’s family,’ said Jeff Bradybaugh, the park’s superintendent.