17-year-old falls to death hiking Moab Rim Trail in Utah

A 17-year-old girl fell to her death while hiking in Grand County, Utah.

The teenager was hiking the Moab Rim Trail with a group of friends in the Kane Creek Canyon area around 4:10 p.m. Friday when she slipped and fell 30 feet off a sheer face cliff, Moab Police said. 

Her friends called 911 and tried to reach the girl, but could not get to her safely. 

Search and rescue crews arrived quickly along with other first responders and used harnesses and climbing gear to rappel down to teen. 

The girl had died from the fall by the time they reached her, and rescuers spent the next two hours recovering her body, police said.

It is unclear what caused the girl to lose her footing, but Moab Assistant Police Chief Lex Bell told KSL that the girl was “too close to the edge” in a difficult hiking area. 

“The Moab Police Department wants to extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends,” Moab Police Chief Jared Garcia said.

“We recognize the divesting impact the loss of a beloved young woman and friend has in this small community, but know that wonderful people of Moab will band together to support and comfort her family and friends at this time,” he added.