Chicago Hiker Dies in Fall at Utah Resort

William Pierce apparently fell sometimes after texting his family a photo of the view

Authorities on Saturday recovered the body of a 64-year-old tourist from Illinois who apparently fell to his death while hiking near a mountain resort in the Twin Peaks southeast of Salt Lake City.

Unified police said William Pierce of Chicago took the tram up the mountain at the Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort on Wednesday and texted his family a photo of the view about 7:45 that evening.

That's the last the family heard from him. They reported him missing Friday morning when he missed a flight home.

Unified police detective Ken Hansen said investigators tracked his rental car to a parking lot at Snowbird. A search began and a state public safety helicopter spotted his body in an area where it apparently fell about 400 feet down a steep, rocky grade.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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