Hiker killed in 700-foot plunge in canyon rockslide, Utah officials say

A 49-year-old hiker died in a 700-foot fall after being swept away by a rockslide, news outlets and Utah sheriff’s officials reported.

The accident took place near Bell’s Canyon in the Little Cottonwood Canyon area at about 8:45 a.m. Saturday, July 19, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

A solo hiker slipped in a rockslide and fell 700 feet, sheriff’s officials told KSTU.

The man was hiking near Pfeifferhorn, the eighth-highest peak in the Wasatch Range, KTVX reported.

A doctor hiking nearby tried to assist the 49-year-old man, but he could not be revived, deputies said in the release.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said. A search found no other victims of the rockslide.

Bell’s Canyon is about a 20-mile drive southeast from Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published July 20, 2025 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Hiker killed in 700-foot plunge in canyon rockslide, Utah officials say."