A canyoneer died in an accident in Death Valley National Park over the weekend.
Justin Ibershoff, 38, of Los Angeles, was descending a technical route down Deimos Canyon with six friends when officials say he fell to his death Saturday.
The National Park Service says the group was very experienced and most members of the party had descended the canyon several times before.
The incident occurred while Ibershoff was descending a steep, rocky slope to the top of the third rappel anchor. 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 group used an emergency locator beacon to call for assistance.
After assessing Ibershoff’s condition, the group continued down the canyon due to continuing active rock fall.
Inyo County search-and-rescue (SAR) and Death Valley park rangers were assisted by helicopters from California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Crew from the Navy’s VX-31 helicopter were able to reach Ibershoff a few hours after the accident and establish that he had passed away. At that point, the incident response transitioned into a body recovery.
Inyo County SAR team members and CHP’s H-82 helicopter from Apple Valley recovered Mr. Ibershoff’s body the next day. Conditions in that area of the canyon remain unstable and canyoneers are advised to avoid the upper section of Deimos Canyon.
This story was originally published by staff at KTNV.
