A body, believed to be that of a missing 20-year-old backpacker, was found Saturday in a rugged section of Grand Canyon National Park. Rangers came across the body, thought to be that of Bryce Gillies, about 9:30 a.m. in the Bonita Creek drainage on the North Rim of the park.
Mr. Gillies, a Northern Arizona University student, was reported missing by his father last Tuesday evening after failing to return from a trip into the Deer Creek drainage. Initial efforts by investigators located the car of the backpacker at the Bill Hall Trailhead on the North Rim.
With no backcountry permit to work from and no knowledge of Mr. Gillies' specific plans, searchers began covering a large area from the Deer Creek drainage across Surprise Valley to the Tapeats Creek drainage and down to the river. On Saturday rescue personnel narrowed their search to the Bonita Creek drainage and surrounding area based on the discovery of personal items, including a backpack, in that vicinity.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., a search team, moving up Bonita Creek from its confluence with the Colorado River, found a body at the top of a 100-foot pour-off. The body was located less than one-half mile from the river confluence. It was to be recovered by helicopter via long-line operation and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner.
This multi-day search involved approximately 50 NPS personnel and volunteers from Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Zion National Park.
The Deer Creek area can be extremely demanding to reach, but those who make the trek find "booming streams of crystalline water (that) emerge from mysterious caves to transform the harsh desert of the inner canyon into absurdly beautiful green oasis replete with the music of falling water and cool pools," according to the park's description of the area. However, the park also notes that "trailhead access can be difficult, sometimes impossible, and the approach march is long, hot and dry...but for those making the journey these destinations represent something close to canyon perfection."
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Comments
would you please READ the post BEFORE you make inaccurate comments about it. there have been quite a few incidents this summer, that probably have cost millions. most of them unnecessary because somebody was doing something that they shouldn't have been. it just MIGHT be he wasn't experienced and that could have been a factor. neither one of us know, THAT is a fact. whatever happened he was an unfortunate soul.
Could Bryce have tried to use Bonita Creek as a short cut to the river ? Perhaps low on water in Surprise Valley and rather than go on to Thunder River he elected to descend into the Bonita drainage. Did anyone learn where the backpack was found ? Was it upstream from the 100 foot pour off ? The artical said the NPS reached the body by ascending Bonita Creek.
We have to go look that's just silly and the bill for posting people at trailheads will surely end up costing a ton. The poor boy broke the law and didn't tell anyone and it cost him his life. It doesn't need to cost him or his family any more.
Thank you! It's like they just want people to sit at home and watch videos of the parks. Life is to be lived and we sometimes make mistakes but we should always go looking for each other