UPDATE: More details released on 16-year-old hiker’s fatal fall in the Devils Castle area

Alta Ski Area in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Photo: Tim Peterson // Unsplash

LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — A 16-year-old hiker died Wednesday evening after falling more than 100 feet while hiking in the Devils Castle area above Little Cottonwood Canyon near Alta.

A statement from Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue confirmed the hiker was scrambling with three partners when he fell several hundred feet. “A bystander who witnessed the fall called 911, allowing rescuers to respond quickly,” reads the statement.

The Department of Public Safety was able to locate the patient from the air, and paramedics reached the victim and found him deceased.

“SAR personnel then focused on the safety and well-being of the three partners still on the ridgeline above,” the statement says. The three hikers were monitored down the route and then transported off the mountain. The fall victim was recovered later.

“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and the young person’s partners as they navigate this heartbreaking loss,” the Sheriff’s Office said in their statement. “We share incidents like this because we hope the circumstances can help prevent another tragedy.”

The Devil’s Castle Trail is a steep, exposed route that climbs nearly 1,500 feet. The area includes sections of rock scrambling and challenging terrain.

Officials warned that scrambling on exposed terrain means a slip or loss of balance can have “catastrophic consequences.” Speaking specifically of the Devil’s Castle route, they said, “Terrain can become significantly more serious than it appears from the trailhead or from a distance. A route does not have to be a technical climbing route for the consequences of a fall to be severe.”

For hikers headed out to scramble on Wasatch ridgelines, officials encourage knowing the terrain, understanding the consequences of a fall, and being honest about your group’s experience and comfort level.

“Turning around is always an option, as is stopping in a safe spot and calling for help,” officials said.

The Sheriff’s Office also said the Devil’s Castle climbing areas have been impacted by the incident and will be temporarily closed over the next few days.