West Clear Creek Accident

[mmac]

We were camping in West Clear Creek on the Mogollon Rim this weekend. Apparently a 16yr old kid fell and died on the first rappel of Sundance Canyon around 8AM yesterday. There were a ton of rescue vehicles and a DPS helicopter that followed us around for a while on our hike.

Has anyone heard anything else about this? I can't find any news reports. Everyone was pretty tight-lipped (as they should be) on scene, so I don't know exactly what happened.

[nonot]

From a poster at hikearizona.com:

"A group of us were getting ready to descend Bear Canyon yesterday when we were approached by two people asking for help in neighboring Sundance Canyon. After a brief and disjointed explanation we understood that someone was unconscious and CPR was being performed. Someone else had left the area in search of cell signal to call for help. Not sure what we could really do to help but willing to lend extra hands and/or rigging, we set out for Sundance. After about 30 minutes of hiking through the canyon we came across a person on the ground with a group of Firefighters and what we took to be the rest of the group of hikers. We offered assistance and were told that it was too late. The only information we were given was that it was a cardiac arrest. Given the somber mood and relative lack of immediacy or urgency we assume that the person had already died.


First off I'd like to offer condolences to the family of the man and the group he was traveling with. Second, I'd like to commend the rescue personel who came out to help, we were all mystified by how quickly they responded given the location of the incident. Third, I was wondering if anyone had seen any more information about this in the papers or on the news. I've done a google search but couldn't come up with anything."

[mmac]

Thanks for the info, apparently the hear-say was way off.

[rcwild]

Heard directly from one of the adult leaders in the group. It was a 15 year old. 6' 2" football player in seemingly good health. Prior to collapsing, he was laughing and playing around. It was not an accident. No trauma. He wasn't on rope. CPR was given until medics arrived who pronounced him dead on the scene. Medical examiner will be doing an exam on Monday, but it may take a while before they know the cause.

[tmartenst]

From NZRM2001 on the ACA website:

"I was one of the scout leaders with this young man when he passed away. We arrived in the area late that night preparing to do both Sundance and Bear Canyons. We had three youth with us and two adult leaders (myself and one other). The youth who passed away was 15 years old and stood at a height of 6'2" and as any kid that size would do he played on the varsity football team. He's very athletic and had a clean bill of health. He was a giant in both heart and size and will be missed greatly by all. As for what happened we are not really sure at this time. We started the canyon and had only gotten just beyond where some small pot holes were when he hopped down from a 3' boulder. He took two steps turned around and collapsed to the ground. (Prior to that incident there was no complaints of pain or discomfort. No falls to cause Trauma. No labored breathing. At times he was in the head of the group laughing and playing and having a great time. At the time he was in the rear of the group helping a friend avoid getting his feet wet in a small pot hole.) One leader left to get help while the youth and I stayed and did CPR. We were still doing CPR when the medics arrived over an hour later where they pronounced him on scene. The rescue team treated him with the upmost respect and care and everyone involved did a great job. We are thankful for everything they did. We stayed while they airlifted him out and met his father at the medical examiners. We are all taking this hard. Will was a good friend and served others as if they were a part of his family. He will be missed. The medical examiner is examining him on monday but it may be longer until they know exactly what happened. It would be greatly appreciated if everyone could keep his family in you prayers. Thank You..."

[blueeyes]

That is so heartbreaking. So young and so full of life. My heart goes out to his family.

[Jaxx]

That is so heartbreaking. So young and so full of life. My heart goes out to his family.

couldn't have said it better.

[Scott Card]

That is so heartbreaking. So young and so full of life. My heart goes out to his family.

couldn't have said it better.X2

[trackrunner]

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/06/22/news/breaking/doc4a3fbc3f397ce454198296.txt


15-year-old Boy Scout dies while hiking in West Clear Creek Canyon

Monday, June 22, 2009

from Daily Sun staff reports

The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 15-year-old boy who died Saturday morning while hiking at the bottom of West Clear Creek Canyon. The boy had been hiking with two other Boy Scouts and two Boy Scout leaders, all from Las Vegas, Nev. They began their hike at the trailhead located at the end of Forest Service Road 142E.

According to members of the party, during the hike the boy jumped off a boulder that was 2- to 3-feet off the ground and landed on his feet. He looked back at one of the scouts who was behind him and collapsed. One of the scout leaders and two scouts remained with the victim and administered CPR for an extended period of time. The other scout leader drove to a highway where he was able to place a cell phone call and reached the Yavapai County Sheriff

[Iceaxe]

Father Loses Son On Boy Scout Trip
Desert Pines High School Student Dies While Hiking In Arizona

LAS VEGAS -- A weekend Boy Scout trip turned deadly for a Las Vegas teenager. William Smith, 15, traveled to Arizona to do some rock climbing. But while hiking in an area south of Flagstaff, he collapsed and died a short time later.

Smith was a freshman at Desert Pines High School. He loved sports and being in the Boy Scouts, and the trip to Arizona was nothing out of the ordinary. But this time he didn't come home, and his family is still waiting to find out why.

Smith made Boy Scout trips whenever he could, said his father, John Smith.

[Scott Card]

So strange, so tragic...... :sad: