LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah, Sept. 12, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The Unified Police Department has released the name of the hiker who died in a fall on Dromedary Peak, in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
“The name of the fall victim from today’s search and rescue is Andrew Acuff, age 26, of Salt Lake City,” the UPD statement says. “Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Acuff’s body was was recovered Sunday after it was spotted and called in by group of hikers in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
He fell while on the east face of Dromedary Peak, a statement from Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue says.
His fall has been estimated at 200 feet. According to reports, Acuff was supposed to meet up with a different group of hikers at about 9:30 a.m., but he did not show up.
SAR crews were called out at 11:10 a.m. Sunday for an operation that ultimately took four hours, says the SAR Facebook post, issued at 4:32 p.m.
“A party attempting the Cottonwood Traverse came across a fallen hiker on the east face of Dromedary Peak,” the post says. “The hiker had perished in the fall. They were on a steep scree field 200 feet below the summit.”
A scree is a slope covered with small, loose stones.
“The Department of Public Safety helicopter was called to help with the recovery. The helicopter flew in two SLCOSAR members who were able to hike to the victim and package them so that the helicopter was able to pick the victim up and transport them to Alta. The helicopter then came back and flew the two SAR members out.
The SLCo. Sheriff’s Office SAR crew also wished “Condolences to the friends and family.”
