Patrick Horton Obituary, Death; – A man from Colorado was discovered deceased on Sunday in the Grand Canyon while participating in a group river expedition, marking the seventh death in the national park since July 31.
Officials from Grand Canyon National Park received an early morning report on Sunday regarding a fatality at Poncho’s Kitchen, located near the 137th mile of the Colorado River, as stated in a news release.
The individual was identified as Patrick Horton, a 59-year-old resident of Salida, Colorado, who was on a “non-commercial” river trip, according to park service officials. His body was located by fellow members of his group on the tenth day of their journey.
This summer has been particularly tragic for the Grand Canyon, with six fatalities occurring in August alone, including incidents such as a woman being swept away by a flash flood and a failed illegal BASE jump. Notably, three individuals lost their lives in the first week of August.
The park has recorded 11 deaths in 2023, 12 in 2022, a significant 23 in 2021, and 13 in 2020. Typically, the annual average ranges between 10 to 15 deaths, according to park officials, with 2021 being an exceptional year.
Horton’s death represents the 15th fatality of 2024, approaching the upper limit of the annual average. From 2014 to 2019, there were 103 recorded deaths in Grand Canyon National Park, as per the NPS mortality dashboard. Among these fatalities, 49 were attributed to medical emergencies or issues, with 37 deaths occurring without any physical activity involved.
In comparison, across all national parks in the United States, an average of 358 deaths were reported annually during this timeframe, indicating that Grand Canyon National Park falls on the lower end of the spectrum.
The National Park Service, along with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s office, is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Horton’s death, with the exact cause and timing still undetermined.
