Grand Teton National Park rangers recovered the body of Edward Tom, 40, of Boulder Colorado on Saturday.
Tom fell to his death Friday evening in Garnet Canyon while scouting for a campsite following a storm with heavy rain and hail.
Tom and his climbing partner intended to spend Friday night at a backcountry camping area known as the Petzoldt Caves before climbing the Grand Teton on Saturday, according to a statement released by the park’s public affairs office.
Tom was in the Caves area looking for a campsite when he apparently fell over a nearby cliff band.
Multiple 911 calls were placed just before 6 p.m. Friday to report a man who fell nearly 100 feet and who was unconscious when bystanders got to him. Two physicians in the area rappelled to Tom’s location, and with the help of bystanders, attempted to provide emergency medical care.
Park rangers were flown into the meadows of Garnet Canyon arriving just after 7 p.m. Teton Interagency dispatchers and rescuers used text messages to communicate with the bystanders on scene due to challenges with phone reception. This allowed park rangers to have a better understanding of what was happening and to provide support remotely until they arrived on scene.
Resuscitation efforts were underway when rangers arrived but were terminated shortly thereafter. Due to poor weather and fading light, rangers determined they would need to complete the recovery operation the following day.
Rangers flew Tom’s body from Garnet Canyon to the park’s rescue cache at Lupine Meadows on Sunday where his body was turned over to the Teton County Coroner.
The incident remains under investigation and no additional details were immediately available.