AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Search and rescue crews discovered a man's body in the same area of American Fork Canyon where a hiker disappeared Sunday.
Robert "Bobby" Healey, 28, of Saratoga Springs, was last seen Sunday around noon, according to the Utah County Sheriff's Office, and his car was still at the mouth of the canyon Monday.
Healey was an avid hiker but he was not equipped for a longer outing, Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.
"His family says that he’s an avid hiker, takes very little equipment with him, a jacket maybe and jeans and hiking boots and a small backpack with some water and a little bit of food, and goes out for a few hours and then comes back,” said Cannon. “This kind of thing is not uncommon for him to hike in an area like this, not prepared to spend overnight, and that was one of the concerns with him being overnight, he does not have a history of spending overnight.”
“They couldn’t get a hold of him, then after nearly 48 hours there was grave concern that something had gone wrong.”
Cannon said crews discovered the body around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in an "extremely rugged" area.
“It was very steep terrain, almost a vertical cliff, and then below that a slightly less severe slope and the body was located down that part of the slope,” Cannon said.
Crews used a helicopter to bring the body off the mountain. The body will then be taken to the Utah State Office of the Medical Examiner for positive identification and to determine the cause of death.
“He sustained significant trauma over most of his body, upper body especially,” explained Cannon.
The death is another reminder how dangerous the Utah wilderness can be, even for those who are familiar with the area.
“[The family] certainly appreciate Bobby’s drive and desire to spend time in the outdoors, but its tragic that it led to this end,” said Cannon.
