Park officials of Canyonlands National Park say the search for a missing hiker concluded and they are sorry to report that Jonathon Hogue has been found deceased.
A search for Hogue began on Tuesday, March 12, at the Island in the Sky District in Canyonlands National Park. Hogue, 33, was last known to have been in the park on Sunday, March 10.
Hogue’s mother, Laura Tebeau, said he checked in at the park at 1:22 p.m. on Sunday.
The National Park Service, San Juan and Grand County search and rescue, and volunteers began trying to locate Hogue using search dogs. Tebeau said the search was called off on Wednesday, March 13, due to the mixture of rain and snow that fell throughout the day. The search continued on March 14, and rescue crews found Hogue’s body on March 15 at the base of the Green River Overlook. He fell 500 feet from the overlook.
The National Park Service asks for anyone who was visiting the Green River Overlook at the Island in the Sky District between Sunday, March 10 and March 14, or who has information that could help investigators, to contact them by phone or text at 888-653-0009.
Speaking by phone on March 14, Tebeau said her son loved the outdoors and was a hiker and backpacker who has traveled extensively to visit parks. She said Hogue has visited Utah before, but believed this to be his first visit to Canyonlands National Park.
“Every chance he would get, he would go and visit a state park, but when he was going he would always tell me where he was going,” she said.
She said she didn’t know he was traveling to Utah and his itinerary was unknown.
“I want to thank all the people out there at Canyonlands National Park trying to find my son, and I’m asking for everyone’s prayers that he is found safe,” Tebeau said on March 14 as rescue crews continued their search.
She said Hogue’s truck, cell phone and jacket were found in the park and turned over to park rangers.
“He is a faithful ‘I call my mom every Sunday’ type of person, and I didn’t hear from his this last Sunday,” she said. When she didn’t hear from him, she assumed he was busy and sent him a text message, but did not receive a response.
The National Park Service did not return a call for comment.
Tebeau said Hogue had hoped to one day be a park ranger.
She said he graduated from Margaretta High School in Castalia, Ohio, and attended Miami University (of Ohio) and Ohio University. He served in the U.S. Air Force. She said he moved to Iowa City, Iowa, in July and was a PhD student at the University of Iowa.
Jonathon Hogue, 33, found dead after 500-foot fall
