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CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK — The body of a 73-year-old Missouri man was found in the Horseshoe Canyon area of Wayne County Saturday.
Wayne County sheriff's officials became aware that Grant Welland, who was on a hiking trip to various locations throughout the park, was missing late Friday, Wayne County spokeswoman Kassidee Brown said. Canyonlands National Park Service rangers were asked to look for the man's vehicle and located it at the Horseshoe Canyon trailhead around 8 p.m.
Welland was hiking alone and was supposed to be out of the canyon by July 28.
"He had good drinking water and hiking shoes because he had an itinerary where he was doing a bunch of different hikes, so I think he was fairly well equipped," Brown said.
Welland had apparently last made contact with someone on July 12, when he spoke with his neighbor and said he was going to "play it by ear." He was last seen July 14 in the Green River area.
He had good drinking water and hiking shoes because he had an itinerary where he was doing a bunch of different hikes, so I think he was fairly well equipped.
–Kassidee Brown
"Due to weather conditions, the terrain and the undetermined time in which the man was missing, search and rescue and (emergency medical personnel) was immediately dispatched along with (a) Department of Public Safety helicopter to assist with the search," Brown said.
Officials with the Emery County Sheriff’s Office and search and rescue workers assisted in the search, which began around 3:30 a.m.
Welland's body was found around 11:50 a.m. Brown said the cause of death was not apparent and will be determined by the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office.
