The Grand Canyon National Park announced on Sunday evening that rangers have recovered the body of Chenoa Nickerson, 33 following flash flooding in the area.
According to the park’s statement, Nickerson’s body was discovered at around 11:30 a.m. by a group rafting in the Colorado River near River Mile 176.
Havasu Creek
Nickerson’s body was moved to the rim by helicopter and transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s office.
Park Officials stated in a news release that over 100 people were left stranded and one woman was reported missing after a flash flood struck Havasu Creek on Thursday in Grand Canyon National Park.
Search and Rescue
Search and rescue activities were conducted with motorized boats, teams on the ground, and one UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter combing the region.
Chenoa Nickerson, 33, of Gilbert, Arizona, and her husband were hiking along the shoreline when they were swept into the creek about a half-mile from the Colorado River’s confluence.
Evacuations
The couple were reported missing following the incident. She wasn’t wearing a life jacket, park authorities said.
Tamara Morales, Nickerson’s sister, posted on social media on Sunday morning that despite the fact that her husband and more than a hundred other people had been safely evacuated from the area, no one had been able to locate her using her Apple watch as of Sunday afternoon.
National Park Service Tip Line
The National Park Service’s Investigative Services Branch tip line (888-653-0009) was provided for anyone who saw Nickerson or had information about her whereabouts.
According to Morales, she had last been seen in blue hiking shoes, a black tank top, and multiple tattoos before being swept into the creek with her husband.
Supai Camp
Morales wrote in a Facebook post, “To everyone searching for our sweet sister, we see you, we hear you, and we are praying alongside you. Do NOT lose hope. She will be found.”
Nickerson had set up camp overnight close to the town of Supai on the Havasupai reservation close to the Grand Canyon before the flood caught a few climbers above and beneath Beaver Falls.
Beaver Falls
Beaver Falls is one of several scenic waterfalls in the area that attract 30,000 to 40,000 global vacationers to the Havasupai tribe’s reservation every year.
The region is inclined to flood, and August is the peak of storm season in Arizona, carrying with it higher humidity that can cause thunderstorms, heavy downpours, lightning, and hail.
National Guard Response
In response to the flooding, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs sent the National Guard to help with recovery efforts, and Guard officials reported that 104 tourists and tribal members were evacuated.
Deputy Jon Paxton of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office stated that anybody who requested evacuation was taken to somewhere safe and secure by Saturday afternoon.
Remote Reservation
The Havasupai reservation is one of the most remote reservations in the United States, which can only be reached by foot, horseback, or helicopter making rescue efforts difficult.
Damage from the flooding drove the Havasupai Tribal Council to close the land to tourists until further notice while they deal with the destruction.
“Unpassable”
“The trail into Supai and to the campground and falls are unpassable, the damage to the campground is extensive” the council stated in a Facebook post shared on Saturday.
“Officials will be arriving in Supai over the next few days to assess the damage and to begin the process of clean-up and repairs. The Tribal Council’s focus is the health and safety of the tribal members and those that provide services in Supai.”
Guard Support
Major Erin Hannigan, who is a spokesperson for the National Guard, reported that a crew of five Guard members who were mostly volunteers were on hand to aid in the rescue efforts.
According to Hannigan, in a statement she made to The Arizona Republic, “There was not what some people might think of dropping lines (from a helicopter) to pull people up. They were in an orderly fashion and ready to get on the aircraft. It was all very well organized by the tribe. They made our lives a lot easier.”
Supply Drops
The Guard were also involved in dropping off supplies which were made up of necessities such as food and water.
Hannigan went on to say, “When we got there, people were cheering. They were very vocal about sharing excitement to probably get home.”
“Arizona is a small and big state, and the entire community is something that we hold dear, and so being ready and willing to support the community as a whole, it’s just something that comes with a Guardsman”
