Man Dies After Falling Off Cliff In Emery County

ORANGEVILLE, Utah — A 24-year-old man died after officials said he fell 80 feet while hiking in Emery County.

Officials said the man, who was later identified as Matthew J. Schnitzer of New York, went hiking with a friend in a side canyon of Cottonwood Canyon Thursday after he had camped in the area for about a week.

“The friend decided to return to camp, taking a different route, but Schnitzer continued hiking,” read a press release from the Emery County Sheriff’s Office.

After Schnitzer didn’t return, the friend went looking for him. He searched until midnight and then resumed searching at 7 a.m. Friday, but Schnitzer couldn’t be found. That’s when the friend contacted local authorities.

Personnel from Emery County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue responded to the scene. A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter was called out to search from above.

The helicopter crew eventually located Schnitzer’s body at the bottom of an 80-foot cliff.

“It appears that Schnitzer lost his footing on the slope above the cliff and slid off the edge,” officials said in the press release.

After state personnel were lowered down to the body, Schnitzer was transported and his family was notified.

“ECSO extends condolences to Matthew Schnitzer’s family and friends at this difficult time,” concluded the release.