KANE COUNTY, Utah, May 23, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The body of a second missing Ohio hiker has been found in Kane County near the Arizona border.
The first body was reported by a group hikers about a half mile into Arizona. A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter stationed in St. George worked with Arizona officials, and the body of the unknown man was recovered Sunday from the area just south of the Paria River and Buckskin Gulch.
On Monday morning, Kane County dispatch was contacted by an officer from the West Chester (Ohio) Police Department about two overdue men. Families of the men last heard from them at about 3 p.m. Saturday, the officer told dispatch. Family members reported the men had planned to hike about five miles into Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch.
Photos helped confirm the body found Sunday was that of Gary York, 65, of West Chester Township in Ohio, a news release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office says.
KCSO Search and Rescue crews headed out to search for the second missing man.
At about 5 p.m. Monday, crews located the body of the second missing man, John Walter, 72, from Kettering, Ohio.
“Further investigation shows flash flooding in the Buckskin during the time when the two men would have been hiking, and it is believed they were caught by surprise and swept away by the rushing wall of water,” the Kane County Sheriff’s statement says. “This is the same canyon where two other men from Florida were killed by flooding in March of this year.
“Mr. York was carried close to 10 miles down the canyon by flood waters, and Mr. Walter seven to eight miles. Again, we have witnessed the relentless power and danger of flash flooding in Kane County slot canyons.
“Our condolences go out to the York and Walter families. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is forever grateful to the many volunteers who have spent so many hours in the last couple months of these difficult calls. Also, thank you to the Utah Department of Public Safety and our BLM partners who assist us.”
