Man Canyoneering in Death Valley Falls 100 Feet to Death Following Rockslide
National Park Service Deimos Canyon
An experienced canyoneer fell nearly 100 feet to his death during an outing in Death Valley National Park on Saturday.
Justin Ibershoff, 38, was descending a technical route down Deimos Canyon alongside six friends, all of whom were seasoned canyoneers, the National Park Service said in a press release.
Ibershoff, of Los Angeles, became caught up in a rockslide as he descended the steep and rocky slope.
"He apparently stepped on a rock that moved, triggering a rockslide that swept him past two companions and over the edge of the 95-foot-tall dry fall," the release said.
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His friends called for assistance using an emergency locator beacon, and Ibershoff's body was eventually found by a rescue helicopter hours later. Teams on the helicopter determined he had died in the fall, and his body was recovered on Sunday.
The incident comes nearly two years after Matthew Yaussi, 41, died in March 2019 after falling nearly 400 feet while canyoneering in Death Valley.
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According to the NPS, canyoneering combines hiking, down-climbing and rappelling down canyons. It's recently grown in popularity in Death Valley, and there are about 200 documented routes.
