Name released in canyoneering death near Yankee Doodle Canyon

The entrance to Yankee Doodle Canyon, Washington County, Utah, photo undated | Photo by Bo Beck, St. George News

WASHINGTON COUNTY – Authorities have released the name of a man who died in a canyoneering accident Wednesday afternoon.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue responds to a fatal canyoneering accident in the Dixie National Forest, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue responds to a fatal canyoneering accident in the Dixie National Forest, Utah, Dec. 16, 2015 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Kelvin Curtis, 25, of St. George, died after falling while on a canyoneering excursion near the Yankee Doodle Canyon area outside of Leeds, Washington County Sheriff’s Detective Nate Abbott said in a press statement Friday.

Curtis was with three other men when he slipped and fell approximately 40 feet. Two of the men stayed with Curtis, while another man hiked out to call for help.

About 20 Washington County Search and Rescue volunteers responded to the scene, along with Hurricane Valley Fire District and Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

The responders staged on Danish Road, which passes through the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and connects Leeds to St. George. CPR was attempted by the first responders, but Curtis was pronounced dead at the scene.

“It’s a very tragic accident that happened,” Sheriff Cory Pulsipher said Wednesday.

“Any time anybody’s out and recreating and an accident like this happens — (in which) an individual loses his life — our hearts go out to not only the friends that were with him, but also the family.”

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.