Wisconsin hiker found dead on Grand Canyon trail to Colorado River, park officials say
MILWAUKEE – A 56-year-old Wisconsin man, hiking on a trail to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, died from an unspecified cause, park officials said Tuesday.
The man, who has not been identified, was found unresponsive by someone along the Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens at about 3 p.m. Feb. 17. He was pronounced dead by National Park Service search and rescue personnel shortly thereafter, according to the Grand Canyon Office of Communications.
According to officials, the man was on a day hike to the river and back that afternoon. What exactly happened was not immediately apparent.
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"Unfortunately, we do not have further details to share at this time," said Joelle Baird, a public affairs official and U.S. park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park.
An investigation is underway by the National Park Service in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner, which also said no further information was available.
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The iconic park draws millions of visitors every year. In 2021, the park recorded 23 fatalities and more than 400 search and rescue incidents, according to latest publicly available data.
Contact Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.