A 31-year-old hiker has died in extreme cold weather after her husband left her on the trail while he tried to go and find help.
The pair had been hiking through the famous Narrows in Zion National Park, Utah, when they were caught out by a cold snap.
They had started out on the permitted top-down 16-mile route on Tuesday November 22, but during the hike the 33-year-old man said it became dangerously cold overnight to the point they noticed apparent symptoms of hypothermia.
They stopped for the night about a mile and a half from the north end of Riverside Walk and when morning broke the man left his wife to try go get help.
Other visitors to the park stumbled across him on the Riverside Walk on November 23 and eventually Park Rangers were alerted to the emergency. He was rushed to the Zion Emergency Operations Center.
The woman was also found near the Virgin River by visitors who were trying to perform CPR when park officials arrived. Zion Search and Rescue Team members provided emergency care but she was sadly deceased.
A spokesperson for the National Parks Service thanked the other visitor's actions in trying to help the pair.
Zion National Park’s response involved more than 20 search and rescue team members.
The exact cause of the woman's death has not yet been formally determined but the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, and the National Park Service are still investigating.
November is one of the coldest months in the park with temperatures getting as low as -15C.
The NPS warn park visitors to be prepared. The website reads: "Zion is known for a wide range of weather conditions. Temperatures vary with changes in elevation and day/night temperatures may differ by over 30°F [30C]."
This latest death in Zion National Park comes the same week another female hiker died from exposure to the cold.
Emily Sotelo, 19, was reported missing on Sunday after she decided to climb all of New Hampshire's 48 peaks alone - but missed a crucial turn on her way down and ended up lost.
Her mum dropped her off at the trail as one of her goals was to climb New Hampshire's 48 peaks before her 20th birthday this week.
During a four-day search for the missing teen her body was found in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire, on November 23 at 11am.
The cause of death has not been confirmed yet but authorities believe she would have died due to freezing temperatures.
Brian Garvey, a friend and fellow hiker, said Emily was desperate to complete the hike before her birthday.
He said: "She made all three peaks she wanted to and unfortunately on the descend she missed the turn which is hard to find on a windy day or just in general.
"This has happened before at the same exact area she got off trail was back in 2021. Luckily those guys made it out by thawing out their cell phone under their armpit and SAR found them before they froze."
