Woman dies after fall in Zion National Park

ZION NATIONAL PARK — Search and rescue crews on Wednesday recovered the body of a woman who fell 1,000 feet from a lookout on Tuesday.

About 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, Zion National Park officials received a 911 call from hikers who reported that a woman had fallen from Scout Lookout.

Searchers spotted a body on a ledge about 1,000 feet below the lookout, but because of the difficult terrain and night approaching, officials decided to postpone the recovery until Wednesday, according to a National Park Service news release.

To reach the body, rangers had to cross the swollen Virgin River, which claimed two men earlier this week, climb a steep slope and then use ropes and other technical equipment to reach the ledge.

The woman is believed to be in her 60s and was apparently hiking alone. She was carrying no identification, and officials are searching for unattended vehicles in the area as they try to identify the body, said park spokesman Ron Terry.

Scout Lookout is a spot along the West Rim Trail, just before the climb to Angel's Landing, Terry said. The trail there follows a sheer cliff and a hiker would not have to stray far from the trail to fall, he said.

Witnesses were being interviewed to determine what may have caused the woman to fall.

On Monday, park officials recovered the bodies of two Las Vegas men who died while trying to raft on the Virgin River.

— Josh Smith