Missing North Carolina hiker found dead in Grand Canyon National Park
The man was on a multi-day backpacking trip by himself, traversing a path from Thunder River to Deer Creek.
FILE: Sunrise snapshot from Grand Canyon National Park
Today's sunrise snapshot is from Grand Canyon National Park.
A 60-year-old North Carolina man who went missing in Grand Canyon National Park was found dead on Wednesday morning, park officials said.
A family member reached out to the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center the afternoon before, saying that the man had not checked in while hiking the Thunder River Trail-Deer Creek loop.
He was on a multi-day backpacking trip by himself, traversing a path from Thunder River to Deer Creek.
Tapeats Creek as seen from the Thunder River Trail.
(E. Foss / NPS / FOX Weather)
National Park Service search and rescue teams were able to locate the man’s body along a route connecting Lower Tapeats Camp and Deer Creek Camp, the NPS said.
No information about the cause of death was provided. Park officials noted that an investigation into the incident is being conducted by the NPS and the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
Rainbow over Grand Canyon National Park. Aug. 24, 2024.
(M. Quinn / NPS / FOX Weather)
This incident comes after a series of fatalities this summer in Grand Canyon, which is the deadliest national park.
One fatality involved a woman who was swept away by flash flood last week, and a college student who died after falling about 400 feet from a mountain rim earlier this month. In July, a Texas hiker was found dead while attempting to climb the Bright Angel Trail.
Other deaths this year include three bodies that were found throughout the park in May and June.