Rangers and deputies searched late Wednesday night for a missing hiker believed to have fallen from the popular Angels Landing trail in Zion National Park — but rain and wind have frustrated widespread efforts.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a possible fall at 7:40 p.m. Search and rescue crews were dispatched to the area where heavy rain in southern Utah — the first in months — made it difficult to see.
“Investigators are working alongside the park rangers to verify the information and locate the possible victim,” according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
It’s unclear if the missing hiker is a man or woman. The spokesman for the office, as well as park officials, did not immediately return calls Wednesday night. The release said additional details would be released Thursday morning.
The 5.4-mile trail at Angels Landing, which includes steep sections and exposed drops-offs, regularly gets slick when wet. It had recently been reopened Tuesday after a rockfall at the iconic redrock formation.
The trail has been a deadly spot for hikers for years.
A 35-year-old man fell and died there in April also during a rainstorm. A 13-year-old girl died when she fell from the trail in February 2018. And a 45-year-old man died after a suspected fall from the trail in March 2017.
