Death at Elves Chasm - John Kynyk

[Dave1]

http://www.kpho.com/news/25471946/detail.html

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. -- Park rangers at the Grand Canyon said an Arizona man has died in an reported fall while hiking.

Authorities received a report of a fatality Wednesday afternoon from members of a private river trip on the Colorado River.

They say 52-year-old John Kynyk, of Goodyear, was with the river trip party and was hiking above Elves Chasm when he reportedly fell.

Members of the traveling party retrieved the body and met rangers a few miles down river from Elves Chasm. The body was taken to the Coconino County medical examiner.

Authorities said Thursday that an investigation into Kynyk's death is being conducted by the National Park Service.



Date: October 21, 2010
Contact: Shannan Marcak, -28-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – On Wednesday, October 20, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of a fatality on a private river trip on the Colorado River. According to the report, a member of the party had been hiking above Elves Chasm (located near river mile 117) and had fallen to his death. Trip members had retrieved the body and were already back on the river.

Rangers met the party at Blacktail, approximately three miles downriver from Elves Chasm, where they conducted initial interviews and investigations and retrieved the body. The body was flown via helicopter to the South Rim helibase where it was transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

The deceased has been identified as 52 year old John Kynyk of Goodyear, Arizona.

An investigation into this incident is being conducted by the National Park Service. No further details are available at this time.

-NPS-

[juliachaos]

How unfortunate. I did not know him personally, but several friends of mine did. He seemed like a really great guy and is truly missed by all who knew him. RIP John.

[azbackpackr]

That is so sad, not only for him, but imagine being in that river party, and having to take him down the river, and then having to continue on after the Park Service retrieved his body, since there is no way to get all your equipment out of there and abandon the trip, you just have to continue on. It would be the trip of a lifetime, but not at all the way you originally envisioned it...

[Vaporman]

That's crazy! Todd, Scott & I were at Elves Chasm on that Friday two days after this accident and only heard about it after we were driving back to PHX...

[azbackpackr]

I heard that most of those folks are, indeed, still on the river. Glad I am not them.

[Vaporman]

Yea, that'd make for an awkward trip...