A Utah man died after falling from Angels Landing in Zion National Park, according to authorities.
The body of Jason Hartwell, 43, of Draper, was found Friday morning at the base of the summit. A park rescue team started looking for him on Thursday afternoon, after visitors reported that a person had fallen from the landing, a National Park Service press release said.
“According to the preliminary investigation, Mr. Hartwell suffered injuries consistent with a high fall,” officials said. “Normal park operations have resumed at Angels Landing.”
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency in the investigation. They did not immediately return a request for comment on Saturday.
Angels Landing is a popular but dangerous destination for hikers. In November 2019, a body was discovered below the landing after it was reported that a teenage hiker from Maine had disappeared in the park. Authorities said at the time that the body was “compatible with the age and sex” of the missing teenager.
Authorities said they believed the teenager fell.
The national park describes it as an “exhausting” 8.4-mile trail, with steep slopes on both sides of the trail.
On the same day that Hartwell’s body was found, the US Coast Guard rescued a climber in Oregon who fell more than 30 meters from a cliff near Hug Point State Park on Arch Cape.
The climber was conscious and responsive when he was evacuated in a medical evacuation helicopter to Portland for medical attention, according to the Coast Guard.
“Effective coordination with our partner agencies has ensured a safe and efficient transfer of the survivor,” said Lt. Derrick Rockey. “Working together to get the walker to superior medical care was the goal, and we did it.”
