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LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON — The search for a missing hiker came to a tragic end Saturday morning when rescuers discovered his body at the bottom of White Pine Canyon.
The hiker — identified by the Unified Police Department as Andrew Sharp, 35, of the Salt Lake Valley — sent a text to his friend around noon on Friday afternoon asking him to meet him at the White Pine Trailhead for a ride home, according to UPD Lt. Justin Hoyal. When the hiker failed to show up at their designated meet time, the friend called police.
Search crews combed the canyon until after dark, when conditions became too dangerous to continue. A helicopter crew spotted Sharp's body around 8 a.m. Saturday at the bottom of a cliff area. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It was unclear how far Sharp fell, Hoyal said.
A helicopter lifted his body off the mountain and transported it to the state medical examiner’s office for autopsy.
Sharp was hiking alone at the time of the fall, Hoyal said. His car was found in the Albion Basin area.
In another search and rescue mission up Little Cottonwood Canyon Saturday, rescuers helped an injured bowhunter.
Hoyal said the 40-year-old man was up near Superior Peak when he lost his footing and fell 25 feet. He had injuries to his head, arms and legs.
A Utah Department of Safety helicopter flew the injured man off the mountain, and he was then transported via ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center in fair condition.