According to news reports, 34-year-old Kaitlyn Brann and her climbing partner, an unidentified 30-year-old man, were climbing in the Storm Mountain area of Big Cottonwood Canyon Friday.
A call came into 911 about 7 o’clock Friday night from someone reporting they believed some people had fallen.
Search and Rescue crews and Unified police officers responded and used a drone to locate the victims.
Unified Police Department Detective Aymee Race told Salt Lake media that Brann was found deceased, and her partner was flown out of the area in a medical helicopter to a local hospital with serious injuries and is expected to survive.
Race said the climbers were experienced, had the proper equipment and were well prepared for the elements. The distance they fell wasn’t reported.
The Executive Director of The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance Julia Geiser, sent a statement to KPCW saying the climbing community offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the climbers as well as those affected by the rescue. Geisler encourages recreationalists to be hyper-aware that the canyons may be more active given the amount of moisture from his winter and spring run-off.
Detective Race said it’s a dangerous time to be climbing because water can cause significant shift to the rocks
