Man dies while BASE jumping at South Rim of Grand Canyon

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — A man died at Grand Canyon National Park after attempting the high-risk parachute leap from Yavapai Point on the South Rim, the park said Friday.

The park did not name the person who died Thursday morning because it was still awaiting positive identification and needed to notify his family.

The jump attempt had been reported to the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center. Park rangers were able to recover the man’s body about 500 feet below the rim early Friday, along with a deployed parachute.

The body was transported to the rim by helicopter and subsequently taken to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The National Park Service and the medical examiner’s office are conducting an investigation into what happened.

BASE jumping is a high-risk activity involving parachuting from fixed objects and illegal throughout Grand Canyon National Park.

Deaths in 2024

— In late July, a man fell 400 feet to his death near the Pipe Creek Overlook.

— In July, a “semi-conscious” hiker died on the River Trail.

— In July, a man from Texas died while hiking on the Bright Angel Trail.

— In June, another male hiker died on the Bright Angel Trail.

Hiking at the Grand Canyon can be deceiving. The temperature at the South Rim, where 90 percent of all visitors go, is about 20 degrees cooler than at the bottom. The temperature at Phantom Ranch along the Colorado River can top 110 degrees in the summer.