A 24-year-old man died after a fall in a side canyon of Cottonwood Canyon in Emery County on April 22, Emery County Sheriff’s office officials reported.
Matthew J. Schnitzer from New York went hiking with a friend after camping in the area for a week. The two separated on the hike, and his friend alerted authorities the following morning after Schnitzer did not return to camp. A helicopter crew located Schnitzer’s body at the bottom of an 80-foot cliff; it appears the man lost his footing and fell over the edge.
Emery County Sheriff Greg Funk extended thanks to all who helped in the search and recovery in a statement.
“The State DPS [Department of Public Safety] helicopter is a great support to search and rescue/recovery efforts in Emery County,” he wrote. “Additionally, many Emery County Search and Rescue members took time off from their jobs to respond, and once this recovery effort was completed, they traveled to Salt Lake for weekend rope rescue training.
