Visitor Falls To Death At Black Canyon

On June 2nd, Wyatt Martinez, 49, of Denver, Colorado, was hiking with his 13-year-old nephew when he slipped and fell to his death near the Pioneer Point overlooks of the Black Canyon. Martinez was attempting to get a better view of the canyon away from the designated overlooks when he slipped and fell over a cliff approximately 900 feet above the canyon floor. Rangers and SAR team members lowered his body down a small scree slope to Morrow Point Reservoir, where it was transported by boat to Morrow Point Dam. Ranger Brandon Hallock was incident commander for the search and recovery efforts.  Although the investigation is continuing, it appears alcohol may have been a significant contributing factor.