Climber plunges 70 feet to his death after rappel anchor breaks loose, Utah cops say

A climber plunged 70 feet to his death in a Utah canyon after his rappel anchor broke loose, deputies said.

Arlo Lott, a 41-year-old from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was rappelling in Farnsworth Canyon on Saturday, April 16, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office said. His rappel anchor broke, causing him to fall into the canyon.

A helicopter rescue crew was sent to help the man, and they began searching for his exact location.

“Once the location was pinpointed, the helicopter had to call off air support due to unsafe conditions caused by high winds,” deputies said on Facebook. “Emery County Search and Rescue, ECSO personnel and Goblin Valley State Park personnel responded and packed rope rescue gear to the scene.”

Rescuer rappelled down to Lott and had him ready for transport once winds died down enough for the helicopter to fly again. However, the man’s condition worsened as he was hoisted out of the canyon, deputies said.

“Once the man was out of the canyon, the medical flight crew administered lifesaving measures for nearly one hour before pronouncing the man dead at the scene,” deputies said.

Lott’s death came the day after another climber died in the region.

Craig Barlow, a 50-year-old man from Salt Lake City, was sitting on a boulder on a ledge in the Upper Black Box on Friday, April 15, when the ledge broke from under him.

“The man was sitting on a boulder on a ledge watching his friends rappel when the ledge broke loose and the man fell approximately 50 feet landing in two to three feet of water,” deputies said on Facebook.

Barlow was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Climber plunges 70 feet to his death after rappel anchor breaks loose, Utah cops say."