Justin Bingham dies after falling during canyoneering trip to Zion National Park | Nation and world

A 40-year-old man who was CEO of a Utah software company and had a significant social media following fell more than 200 feet to his death during a canyoneering trip to Zion National Park, according to new information released by park authorities.

Justin Bingham, head of Lindon City, Utah-based real estate management software technology company Opiniion, was with a group of three other parkgoers on a hike through the park’s Heaps Canyon on Oct. 5.

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The initial report indicated that one person in the group, later identified as Bingham, made a misstep and tumbled into the canyon at about 6 p.m. that day. He was pronounced dead before he could be taken to a hospital, while the other three members of the group were recovered from the gorge without injuries.

‘Search and Rescue arrived on scene and provided emergency medical assistance’

“Upon receiving the report of the fall, the Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and provided emergency medical care,” the National Park Service (NPS) said in a statement. “The man was airlifted by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to a helispot near Watchman Campground, where he received additional assistance from Hurricane Valley Fire and Rescue and Intermountain Life Flight.”

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Park authorities added that the “rescue team assisted the third in rappelling into the gorge and reached the ground safely at approximately 2 p.m.”

Bingham’s death sent shockwaves through his community, and fellow company leadership released a statement describing him as an “eternal optimist” who died “doing what he loved.”

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“Justin’s adventurous spirit and dedication to living life to the fullest will be deeply missed.”

“His dedication to building meaningful relationships had a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” the Opiniion team wrote in a statement. “Justin’s adventurous spirit and dedication to living life to the fullest will be greatly missed.”

Canyoneering, an adventure sport that involves rappelling into canyons and jumping between canyons, is a high-adrenaline activity loved by many, but which has also caused a number of deaths in the country’s national parks over the years.

In December 2022, a 52-year-old visitor to California’s Death Valley National Park suffered a fatal crash while descending into Mosaic Canyon, while in August 2024, three Utahns drowned in a natural vortex into which they accidentally fell while descending rappelled into a gorge in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Due to a canyon-like geography that drives many visitors to try activities like canyoneering and BASE jumps, as well as cliff paths full of tripping hazards, Zion National Park has a higher accident rate than many other national parks in the US. With many deaths in one year, Zion once landed on a list of the country’s most dangerous parks, alongside other nearby parks such as the Grand Canyon and Death Valley, which have also recently seen large numbers of casualties, although most of these are the result of extreme heat.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time,” Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said in a statement about Bingham’s death.

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