A Colorado man was found dead over the weekend at Poncho's Kitchen, a campground along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. His death was the 15th fatality of 2024 at the Grand Canyon and the seventh in a streak of fatalities that has captured national attention in just over a month.
According to a press release issued by the National Park Service, the 59-year-old man's name was Patrick Horton and he was from Salida, CO. He was on the 10th day of a “non-commercial river trip” when his body was found around 7:30 a.m. on September 7.
The exact cause of death was not immediately released. “The National Park Service is conducting an investigation in coordination with the Coconino County Coroner's Office. No additional information is available at this time,” the press release said.
Horton is the latest in a string of fatalities in the Canyon in recent weeks, including a death from an illegal BASE jump in early August, a heat-related hiking death and a deadly flash flood. Seven of those deaths have occurred since the end of July.
With months left before the normal tourist season ends, park officials are warning visitors to be careful and be prepared for what they will encounter.
