ZION National Park is a stunning mix of desert, woodland and forest terrains but the rock formation known as Angels Landing is its crowning glory.
However, hiking to the famous Utah landmark can be deadly with at least 14 people falling to their deaths while trying to reach Angels Landing’s heights.
A permit system was introduced on April 1, 2022, by the Zion National Park’s rangers to make sure that everyone who tried to hike the perilous trail was prepared.
The route has been popular since it was first cut in 1926, despite the long list of people who have lost their lives on Angels Landing.
Jason Hartwell
Jason, from Draper, Utah, was 43 when he sadly fell to his death at Angels Landing, in early 2021.
The hiker was found at the base of the Angels Landing summit.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Jason had “sustained injuries consistent with a high elevation fall”.
Corbin McMillen
Just a month before Jason’s death, 42-year-old Corbin McMillen was also found dead near Angels Landing.
A search began after Corbin’s car was found parked on February 18, 2021, and was in the same position a day later.
Tragically, he was found dead at the base of Moonlight Buttress which is a trail near the famous Angels Landing.
The park’s superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said: “Our deepest condolences go out to the McMillen family and friends.”
Savannah McTague
In November 2019, a 19-year-old named Savannah McTague fell to her death from the Angels Landing trail.
She was a concession worker at the Zion Lodge and she had graduated Nokomis Regional High School, just two years before she died.
Savannah was reported missing by two friends whom she had gone hiking with and sadly her body was found at the base of the trail.
A spokesperson for Zion National Park said: “Environmental factors may sort of be a cause here, still under investigation, too early to know.
“If the park decides to close something, it’s because there is a serious danger.”
The trail remained open after Savannah’s death, but hikers had reported that conditions were slippery on the Wednesday afternoon when she died.
Pradeep Beryl Solomon
Like Jason Hartwell, Pradeep was found with injuries consistent with a high elevation fall near Angels Landing.
Pradeep, 35, told his friends about his trip before leaving in April 2019.
When he didn’t return, his roommate in Salt Lake City reported him as missing and the search for Pradeep began.
The hiker was found on the north side of the infamous hiking route.
A 13-year-old girl
An unnamed girl, 13, also died while hiking at Angels Landing, after taking a trip to the national park
She fell an estimated 1000-1,500 feet to the West Rim trail, after beginning the hike with her family.
The path was closed for a day so her death could be investigated and a KUTV reporter revealed that she was the eighth confirmed death on Angels Landing since 2004.
Park Ranger John Marciano said: “It was just a beautiful day. It’s at time you wouldn’t expect anything to happen.”
He added that young children should not be hiking up the treacherous trail.
Tate Ryan Volino
Tate was an author of several books, including To Kill a Mockingjay: A Parody, and was from Osprey, Florida.
He was 45-years-old when he fell to his death at Angels Landing.
Tate’s body was found at 8:20am by hikers who phoned 911 when they made the tragic discovery.
Park ranger and spokesperson John Marciano confirmed that Tate’s death was as a result of a fall and added that the hiker was known as a “volunteer and family man”.
Tate is survived by his wife and their two sons.
Regine Milobedzki
Regine was 63-years-old when she fell 1000 feet from Scout Lookout in Zion National Park.
The Lookout is part of the West Rim Trail which meets the route to Angels Landing.
Regine had fallen from the lookout on the afternoon of April 27, 2010, but it took two days for her body to be identified.
When she did not check out of her hotel room on time, alarm bells were raised and the body was sadly identified as Regine.
Tammy Grunig
Tammy fell an estimated 1000 feet from the north side of Angels’ Landing on November 27, 2009.
Her body was reported by another hiker in the early afternoon and the trail was closed to begin an investigation and a recovery operation.
By evening, Tammy’s body had been found and recovered.
After Tammy’s death, the then-Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth shared his condolences with her family.
He added that climbing in the park can be dangerous and that visitors need to be adequately prepared when embarking on a hike.
Nancy Maltez
Like Tammy, Nancy fell an estimated 1000 feet from the North Side of Angels Landing, in Zion National Park.
She died in August 2009 at the age of 55.
Nancy, who was from Glendora, California, was found before noon when a hiker alerted the park rangers to the accident.
Reportedly, two climbers saw the fall as Nancy fell close to their porta-ledge.
Barry Goldstein
Barry was travelling with his friends and family when the rocks beneath his feet gave way and he fell from Angels Landing.
The 55-year-old man from St Louis was standing near his daughter when he died.
Joni Goldstein, Barry’s sister, said: “I’m so confused and sad.
“We live in St. Louis and he was there for a wedding tomorrow and the family all were together.
“I hope he wasn’t scared and wondered if he lost consciousness before he hit the ground.”
Bernadette Vandermeer
Bernadette was just 29 when she died while hiking in Zion National Park.
The Las Vegas resident fell from the overlook area of Angels Landing in the early morning.
Her husband, who was with her at the time, called 911 to report the accident.
Her death was treated as an accident according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Rob Tersigni.
Kristoffer Jones
Tragically, Kristoffer was only 14-years-old when he died at Angels Landing in June 2004.
He was spending the summer with his grandmother in Provo, Utah, although he was from California.
Kristoffer was on a Boy Scout ward outing when he fell.
His mother launched a lawsuit against the Boy Scout group, which eventually reached an undisclosed settlement.
Her attorney, Lynn Harris, said: “My first allegation in the suit was, who was the idiot who decided to take 40 Scouts to the top of Angels Landing?
“They are kids.
“They do stupid things.”
John Christensen
John’s fall from Angels Landing was caused by a botched rappel, according to park authorities.
A rappel is where a climber uses their own mass to lower themselves down a climbing rope.
The Utah-born climber fell to his death in January 1997, but a National Park Service investigator named Dave Bucchello said that the exact circumstances of John’s death were unclear at first.
He said: “There’s no 100 percent certainty because there were no witnesses and it was in darkness.”
It was determined that the climber fell between 600 and 800 feet as John had tied together two 200-foot ropes.
The rappel device was still attached to the ropes and had 30 feet to go before it reached the bottom.
Jeffery Robert Dwyer
Jeffrey’s fall from Angels Landing was regarded as “suspicious” by the FBI, because of the massive amount of blood found at the scene.
The climber’s rucksack was stained with blood and there was a pool of blood at the top of Angels Landing.
A helicopter pilot spotted the body but it was unable to be recovered until the following day.
The FBI got involved in the investigation of the April 1989 death, because deaths in national parks fall under their jurisdiction.
A Denver woman
Not much is known about one of the earliest reported deaths at Angels Landing.
A woman from Denver fell 250 feet to her death from the landmark, but her name was not disclosed after the event.
However, it was reported that the death took place in May 1987.
