# grand canyon disappearance



## rehamxela

horrible! i fear that i have a friend on the trip currently dealing with this tragedy, timeline is right on to be at tapeats.


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## colorado_steve

had a buddy go a drunken solo night hike for about 4hrs one time on the san juan. nobody could find him and we we starting to get worried when he finally showed back up. hope somehow it all turns out okay


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## richp

Hi,

Sadly, in this kind of weather, and over this length of time, prospects for a happy outcome here are very low.

A fair number of drownings in GC result from someone going down to the river to pee -- often in the middle of the night -- and falling in. No PFD. Cold water. In this case cold air. If you are immediately immobilized by the cold water, maybe you can't cry out. Maybe your companions are sound sleepers, and don't hear the spash and your voice calling out.

We can only hope for a better outcome than the circumstances seem to indicate.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


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## Gremlin

What a tragedy. A very dangerous environment to have an accident. Completely irresponsible to jump to conclusions. Hoping for the best outcome for all involved.


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## GC Guide

Nothing has been said about a sandbar. The specific camp has not been disclosed to my knowledge. There are a few places that they could have been camped on the north side in that area. Each of them have their own perils. It probably would be best to stop conjecture.

Best thoughts for all involved!


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## mikesee

The article said it was below zero that night. Really?


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## Pizzle

First off this is a winter trip. There are no guides, just a TL. Second, if she disappeared near Tapeats, that means she was at least ten days into her trip. By this point, even if she was inexperienced(highly doubt that), she would be a pro. 

Personally, I just got off a winter trip. And I can remember one chilly night at the Ledges campsite, staring at the moon, thinking that if you were to fall in the water no matter who you are, even if you were Chuck Norris' body guard, you would die within minutes. My conclusion is that is just a sad and tragic occurrence.

Zero degrees in the canyon is hella cold!


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## alex

at least one of the news releases using NPS info mentioned a camp on a sandbar at about mile 134.5.

Think they used the South Rim temp to come up with zero degrees. At phantom, the lows were 30s-40s (if you google it, the first displayed temp you find for phantom is actually the south rim weather).

Easy to jump to conclusions about a pee bucket and its use or lack of use. She had plenty of outdoor experience. Perhaps more likely she went down to a boat to get something, slipped on a wet (or icy) tube or frame, and fell in. If she hit her head on the way down, she could not have called for help. I know this scenario could easily happen to experienced boaters, with no one to blame.

A really sad event.


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## GC Guide

There are no mid river sandbars in that area. At least I've never seen one in 45+ trips. Media tends to write many things that they make up in their own minds. Just speaking from personal experience.


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## lhowemt

I don't believe sandbars are solely in the middle of the river. Racetrack could easily be described as a sandbar. Not sure what mile it is exactly, but in that area.

Very sad story to hear, my condolences for friends and family.


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## Snowhere

It is sad indeed to be on a trip of a lifetime and have something like this happen. My condolences to the family and friends of Kaitlin Kenney.


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## ski_kayak365

Grand Canyon Incident Release (from the internal park service website):

On Saturday, January 12th, park dispatch received a call via satellite phone from a private river trip reporting that a member of their party was missing. Initial helicopter search operations were begun and rangers were flown to the scene, where it was determined that 21-year-old Kaitlin Anne Kenney of Englewood, Colorado, had last been seen Friday night at her group’s camp at river mile 134.5 near Tapeats Creek on the north side of the river. On Sunday, rangers continued their investigations and helicopter search operations while ground-based teams searched the Tapeats and Deer Creek drainages, Surprise Valley and along the Colorado River. Yesterday, based on their investigations and search efforts so far, the ground-based teams intensified their search efforts in the Tapeats Creek area. Kenney is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a tan knee-length coat, hiking boots, rugged tan pants, a long-sleeved grey shirt, multi-colored scarf and black knit cap. Visitors who think that they may have seen her or who have information that would aid in the park’s search efforts are asked to call the Grand Canyon tip line at 928-638-7767.

: No newer release yet: Will post this week if another comes up.

No sandbar info from the park. This was a private launch, not commercial, so Trip leader
isn't likely sitting up all night watching every person to ensure they stay in their tents.

As for most of us in the reply's in saying we don't have issues peeing in the river, we are guys, its not that hard. For a women.....icy rocks, slippery slopes, moving sand. Lot more changes.

AZ has been slammed with very cold temps. Its possible it was around 0. At the rim of Friday and Saturday high was 20, low of -15. 4000ft lower, with a cold river pumping past, either way it was cold! Here is the last 7 days:
National Weather Service - NWS Flagstaff

Says flagstaff, but the location is grand canyon airport.


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## ski_kayak365

Thank you twitch. 

Enough. Take your complaints to PM, get it off the forum. Both family and MEDIA look at this site. 

Updated Park Service News Release:

The search for 21-year-old Kaitlin Kenney, underway since last Saturday, has been scaled back due to lack of clues as to her whereabouts. Kenney was last seen on Friday at a river camp located near Tapeats Creek on the north side of the Colorado River. Rangers used the park’s helicopter to search the river corridor and area trails for two days, while ground-based teams thoroughly searched the accessible trails, beaches, drainages and backcountry areas in the vicinity. With no additional clues to guide search efforts on land, the decision was made to scale the search back to a continuous but limited mode in which rangers and pilots will continue to search for clues when in the area. Flyers with Kenney’s picture and description remain posted at popular river trip launch and takeout points, and anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is encouraged to call the park tip line at 928-638-7767


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## shoenfeld13

*very sad*

She sounded like an amazing young woman. Someone that would have been a wonderful addition to the boating community, and the community at large. A great loss. 

While there is much speculation about what has happened, there are many possibilities. What is know is that there is not much room for error with winter air and water temperatures. Be careful out there.


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## zbaird

nice work admin.


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## Andy H.

*ADMIN NOTE*

Inappropriate speculation posted about what may have happened, finger pointing, and other talk arising from that, is not suitable for this thread and was removed and then accidentally deleted. Please use MB's personal message system for any discussion with and schooling of new boaters who are less sensitive to the issue at hand.

MountainBuzz, and the portion of the boating community represented here, hold out hope that she will be found soon.

-AH


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## ski_kayak365

Thanks Andy/Admin.

I'll post any further Park Service Releases as I see them. Hoping for the best or to at least find her for her family.


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## swiftwater15

Thanks, admin.


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## caverdan

I too would like to thank the admin's for their work.

My condolences to the family, friends and love ones. This is a trips worst nightmare. I hope and prey the rest of the trip makes it out OK.

Once again......condolances to all.


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## Billy Goat

Just another news clip.

UM student missing in Grand Canyon National Park | KPAX.com | Missoula, Montana

I do hope they find her soon. Very unfortunate.


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## mrkyak

The November 2012 High Flow Experiment left a vast number of sand deposits on camp beaches. These areas were rapidly being eroded away by daily flucations of the river flow. The edges of these sand deposits were extremely fragile and easily collapsed. This photo was taken December 2012.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family.


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## yesimapirate

Probably too soon to ask, but any new news?


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## mania

Where is the missing Grand Canyon rafter?


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## nemi west

Having been on the Grand I can not imagine the heart break and sorrow this group has had to endur 
This is one hard hard situation.


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## okieboater

This is a very difficult situation.

I hope the boating community can keep this issue in the public eye. Having been down the Grand Canyon three times, I understand how difficult searching for someone can be.

I understand full blown searches can only go on for a limited time for a lot of reasons. 

I hope every one who works in the Canyon, is floating the river or hiking the canyon will continue the search until this lady is found. Signs posted at all hiking entrance points and at the put in and take outs would be a good thing. Lets not give up the search.


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## huck_finn

Any new news just pulled off and was wondering if anything new came up? Her family and crew have been in our thoughts.


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## ski_kayak365

Nothing new from the Park Service side. I would think her crew would be getting close to getting off by now though.


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## yesimapirate

Going on a week. I haven't seen anything on/in the news. Anyone have new info? Is her group off the water yet?


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## huck_finn

We took off sunday, and they were usually camping just below or above us. Never really got a chance to talk with them but i would think they have to be close by now, or just not really wanting to talk yet. Everyone in our crew wanted to chat with them and see how things ended up but knew that with the weather it was not very likely that it ended well. So my question is let them cope if you don't know and don't ask, we only knew that she was missing from camp but that was the last we herd. Saw them several more times but didn't want to bring it up. Sorry again to the family and crew. What a tough situation for all of them.


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## Tom Martin

Huck, please check your personal Buzz messages. Thank you, tom


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## Andy H.

Thanks for the info, Huck. 

I also appreciate your sensitivity to the group and second your request that they be given time to return and get back to "normal" before asking anyone fill in blanks in the story. The details will come out soon enough and I doubt there's any real urgency to pass on safety recommendations from this tragedy that haven't already been posted.

My condolences to Kaitlin's friends and family.

-AH


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## lhowemt

So no more info on this? Anyone?


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## Tom Martin

This is getting more and more problematic. I am hearing that an adjacent trip had contact with the Kenney group the day of her disappearance. That would not be unusual at a popular camp like Below Tapeats, given the populatity of the Tapeats Creek-Thunder River-Deer Creek hike, and the proximity of Racetrack Camp upstream. It is possible to hike from one camp to the other as well. The NPS will neither confirm nor deny that alcohol may have played a part in Kenney's disappearance. Recent rains with snow in the high country in AZ have greatly decreased the river's clarity, and given the clothing Kaitlin was last seen in, the potential to recover her body if she went into the river is becoming very slim. Anyone who has gone into the river from Tapeats to Mead has not been recovered. These are the facts as we know them at this time on this tragedy. yours, tom


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## Tom Martin

I can only council we, the river community, should not put our heads in the sand. Locking threads and accusations are not helpful. We need to learn from this tragedy so that it does not happen again, for Kaity's sake. Yours, tom


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## stupka

So I've been holding out on this ever since I got back from the Grand because I've thought that the details aren't that important for the general public to know. But at the same time, every incident like this has great potential for learning, and can be beneficial for people in similar situations in the future, as to avoidance of such scenarios. 
I paddled down from Racetrack to Lower Tapeats to greet the group camped there; everyone welcomed me warmly and it didn't take long before Kaitlin came up to me, grabbed my arm, and introduced herself. She was bubbly and bright with a big sweet smile. We ended up sitting amongst the rocks near the river, sipping whiskey, laughing and bullshitting. She had a ukulele strung around her back and I asked her to play me a river song, she strummed some chords but the music soon faded into more conversation of whatever you talk about when you're sipping whiskey next to the river without a seemingly care in the world. Not much later, a few more members of my group made their way down to Kaitlin's camp and the night unfolded into partying and shooting the shit around the campfire. At some point still early into the evening, I noticed that Kaitlin wasn't around the fire anymore but there was near 20 people hanging out so I thought little of it; she was off doing her thing, whatever that was. The fire died down, folks retired to their sleeping bags and so did I. The next morning I woke up to nearly 2 inches of snow on my sleeping bag. Around noon, 3 members of her group came to our campsite assuming she was there. There was concerned disappointment on their faces when I told them she wasn't with us. They began a search of the Lower Tapeats area and my group joined them soon after. We covered the beach and did a grid search of Tapeats Creek and as far upstream a person could go before getting cliffed out. Nothing. Her group began to make the sat call while myself and another member of my group assembled a hypo kit and kayaked a mile downstream to the entrance of Granite Gorge. We assumed that if she had been swept downstream, and possibly crawled out onto a beach, she'd be severely hypothermic but possibly still alive. We searched the river banks left and right from the river, then hiked back upstream from the entrance of Granite Gorge to camp, combing the upper reaches along the way. Nothing. By this time the chopper arrived and began searching downstream to about 5 miles past Tapeats. Search and rescue teams were brought in the next day and the chopper continued doing laps downstream. We consoled the group but eventually had to push on.
No one is at fault here, we all like to party on the river, it's part of our paddling culture, but what I've taken from this experience is that there's a higher level of responsibility to yourself and others around you when you party in the wilderness. You need some system of accountability to make sure everyone makes it back to their tent at night. Kaitlin's soul journeyed off that night but it could have just as easily been me, or you. Who knows how she ended up in the river; she could have easily been trying to pee, slipped and knocked herself out on the rocky shore and been washed downstream. It'll be a mystery, but we should learn from this and be accountable to each other. 
I'm stoked that I got to meet her and spend that last night with her; she was definitely a joy and put a big smile on my face. 
Hendri Coetzee said something along the lines that yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not guaranteed, and all we have is today and the opportunity to make it the best day ever. Kaitlin was living that; and what an amazing place to to say goodbye in.
-Josh


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## shappattack

this is just so sad. My condolences to all directly involved and family. The one thing to remember is, some times bad shit happens to good people for no particular reason or fault, and no amount of explanation or reasonable planning could have caused a different outcome. I know a guy that fell off a 6' ladder hanging xmas lights. There was no lesson to learn. It was just a stupid accident, only preventable by sitting on the couch and surfing mt buzz 24-7.


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## mania

thanks for the report and your efforts Josh. sounds like one of those people who made the world a better place while she was here. we could all learn from that.


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## Tom Martin

Agreed. Thank you Josh.


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## GC Guide

So Sad........

Female body found in Grand Canyon


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## restrac2000

Condolences to her boating crew, friends and family. I can't remotely imagine how difficult of a situation that will be to live with. Wish them all the best during that lengthy process.

May we all make the best decisions we can in the moment to prevent such outcomes.

Phillip


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## Tom Martin

Condolences to the family and friends, yours, tom

Grand Canyon News Release
Release date: Immediate
Contact(s): Shannan Marcak
Phone number(s): 928-638-7958 

Date: April 1, 2013

Woman Recovered from River Identified

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The body of a woman recovered from the Colorado River within Grand Canyon National Park on March 22 has been identified as that of Kaitlin Anne Kenney.

Kenney was last seen on the evening of Friday, January 11, at a river camp located near Tapeats Creek (river mile 134.5) on the north side of the Colorado River.

Rangers used the park’s helicopter to search the river corridor and area trails for two days after Kenney was reported missing. In addition, ground-based search and rescue teams thoroughly searched the accessible trails, beaches, drainages and backcountry areas in the vicinity.

With no additional clues to guide search efforts on land, the search was eventually scaled back to a continuous, but limited mode in which rangers and pilots continued to search for clues when in the area. In addition, flyers with Kenney’s picture and description remained posted at popular river trip launch and takeout points.

On Thursday, March 21, a private river trip reported finding a woman’s body in the river at about river mile 165. The next day, the body was transported to the rim by helicopter and transferred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner. 

Late last week, the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the body was that of 21-year old Kaitlin Anne Kenney of Englewood, Colorado.

The National Park Service is continuing its investigation into Kenney’s death in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. No additional information is available at this time.

-NPS-


SHANNAN D. MARCAKPublic Affairs SpecialistGrand Canyon National [email protected]


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