The body of a hiker who fell between 300 and 400 feet off Arikaree Peak into Grand County on Aug. 28 has been recovered after over a month of search and rescue efforts.
The recovery effort was a multi-agency collaboration between members of Teton County Search and Rescue and members of the National Park Service from Grand Teton National Park, according to a release from the Grand County Sheriff’s Department. A specialized team from Wyoming Search and Rescue recovered the hiker’s body on Oct. 3. In total, ten agencies participated and contributed to the search.
The recovery effort went through a series of pauses after reports of the hiker falling from the 13,000 foot peak on Aug. 28 because of inclement weather and dangerous terrain.
This specialized rescue team offered “additional equipment and technical expertise,” according to the release. They were able to safely navigate the terrain that had posed a challenge to previous recovery efforts.
“My thanks to our partner agencies including Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County Coroner’s Office, Colorado Search and Rescue, Boulder County, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Alpine Rescue Team, the Colorado Army National Guard, Med Evac, Teton County Search and Rescue, National Park Service, and the United States Forest Service for their diligence in safely recovering the decedent and returning him to his family while weighing the importance of rescuer and responder safety,” Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said.
The Grand County Coroner will identify the hiker and determine the cause and manner of death.
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