No Rules Broken in Fatal Trek

• Published in: The Salt Lake tribune
• Main Author: MATT CANHAM, ASHLEY BROUGHTON and MARK HAVNES
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Salt Lake City, Utah The Salt Lake Tribune 17.07.2002
• Subjects: Phillips, Ed; Stettler, Ken
• ISSN: 0746-3502

The teenager, described as 5 feet 3 inches and weighing 200 pounds, died in the early stages of a three-mile hike from one campsite to another near Marjum Pass. The pass, a desolate and rocky area with scattered pinion-juniper, is 70 miles west of Delta and has an elevation of 6,400 feet. Five other teenagers and three program coordinators were also on the hike. The other members of August's group continued on the trail after he stopped and returned later, [Ken Stettler] said. He says this is not a violation because the "individual who couldn't continue wasn't forced to." However, the state regulation reads: "Hiking shall not exceed the physical capability of the weakest member of the group. If a [youth] cannot or will not hike, the group shall not continue." The group radioed [Mark Wardle] and the EMT reported that August was in cardiac arrest and to call 911. Meanwhile the counselor performed CPR. Emergency personnel arrived on the scene two hours after the 911 call; an AirMed helicopter from the University of Utah never arrived.