Editor's note: This updates with the name and hometown of the victim.

One of the most iconic hikes in the National Park System, one that also potentially is one of the deadliest, has claimed another victim. Heavy rains that have been pounding southern Utah for days swelled the Virgin River that flows through the Narrows at Zion National Park well above flood stage and claimed the life of a 34-year-old man.

Douglas Yoshi Vo, 34, of Westminster, California, and a companion had entered the Narrows from the Riverside Walk Trail early Saturday morning.  At that time, the river was running at approximately 46 cubic feet per second, according to park officials. At roughly 9:30 a.m., however, rain began to fall and the pair decided to end their hike and go back down the Narrows to the Riverside Walk Trail.

"During their walk out, the river started rising rapidly and quickly reached flash flood levels, peaking at 4,020 CFS," park officials said. "The two hikers became stranded on high ground, but on opposite sides of the river. They could not communicate due to the noise from the river. They waited from around 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for the water to recede, but it was still too high for them to hike out."

One of the hikers decided to try to swim down the Virgin River and get out at the Riverside Walk Trail, while Mr. Vo stayed on high ground.

"The hiker who entered the river safely made it out and contacted a park ranger at approximately 6:30 p.m. He informed park rangers that his companion was still stranded on high ground, but was not injured or in distress," the park release said. "Rangers arrived at the Narrows, but the river was still flowing at approximately 1,000 – 1,500 CFS, which is too high for them to safely enter the river from downstream. They determined that the best course of action was to wait until morning when the river had receded to a safe level and rescue the overdue hiker."

On Sunday morning a rescue team was notified by the overdue hiker’s companion that he had hiked into the Narrows earlier that morning but could not find his partner.  The rescue effort then turned into a search, and Mr. Vo's body was found at approximately 2 p.m. along the bank of the Virgin River near the Riverside Walk.

Park officials note that hikers are not allowed into the Narrows if the river is flowing above 150 cfs.