Arizona officials say hiker found dead after missing work

A man described as an “avid hiker” was found dead on a popular Arizona trail after colleagues reported he didn’t show up for work, sheriff’s officials said.

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The 38-year-old man was reported missing Thursday, July 6, after not arriving for work, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

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His roommate told officials the man frequently hiked the Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock trails near Sedona, a popular tourist destination, the office said.

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Deputies found his vehicle in the Bell Rock trail parking lot and pinged his phone, which showed he was somewhere nearby, sheriff’s officials said.

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“There was no reason at that time to think the man was in danger, until later that evening when the man still had not surfaced,” officials said.

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Darkness hindered efforts to search for the missing man, but on Friday, July 7, searchers deployed ground teams, mountain bikes, dogs and a drone, the sheriff’s office said.

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A search and rescue team spotted something in a crevasse and discovered the body of the hiker, who rescuers think slipped and fell to his death, officials said.

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His name has not been released pending notification of his family, officials said.

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The Bell Rock Pathway is a 3.6-mile trail and is considered a moderate hike, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The hike typically takes over two hours and includes “a popular observation area.”

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“Most of the pathway has a wide, hard surface, but there are some steep hills too,” the Forest Service said on its website. “Some places around Bell Rock are rocky and rough.”

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Sedona is about 115 miles north of Phoenix.

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