A Utah man man died Saturday after a canyoneering accident at Zion National Park.
Park officials said they received a call around 6 p.m., reporting that a 40-year-old man fell about 200 feet near the exit of Heaps Canyon. He was canyoneering with three other people, and officials said they were "following their permitted itinerary."
Zion's search-and-rescue team and deputies with the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to provide emergency care. The victim was then hoisted to a helicopter landing area at Watchman Campground via the Utah Department of Safety's helicopter.
A LifeFlight helicopter was sent to transport the victim to the hospital from there, but officials say he died from his injuries before being placed on board.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a statement.
The victim was Justin Bingham, the CEO of Lindon-based software company Opiniion.
"Justin was a visionary who believed in the power of genuine connections, both with our clients and within our team," an announcement from the company read. "His commitment to building meaningful relationships made a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Justin’s spirit of adventure and dedication to living life fully will be deeply missed."
“If you spent any time around him, he was the eternal optimist," added Devin Shurtleff, the company's co-founder and COO. “Justin wasn’t just a leader here at Opiniion—he was a mentor, a dad, and a friend to many of us. He believed that the relationships we build are what make this work meaningful, and he truly lived that every day.”
After the fall, the three other canyoneers remained in place overnight until they were rescued. Two were hoisted to safety by the DPS helicopter crew Sunday morning. The third rappelled down the canyon with the help of the park's search and rescue team, arriving safely on the ground around 2 p.m.
This story was originally published by Spencer Burt at Scripps News Salt Lake City.
