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An Arizona man was in critical condition on Saturday after crashing his motorcycle in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Brake marks on the road suggest the motorcycle, which was headed down the canyon at about noon, may have been traveling too fast for a curve in the road, Unified Police spokesman Ken Hansen said.

The driver, whose name has not been released, appears to have lost control of the Yamaha bike, and then hit a rock, which broke the motorcycle apart, he said. The motorcycle's frame ended up in the river, it's front tire was on the side of the road and its engine landed about 120 feet away, Hansen said.

The 25-year-old driver was wearing protective clothing and a helmet.

A helicopter flew him to University Hospital, where he is expected to recover.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Witnesses told police they had seen the bike going down the canyon road at a high rate of speed.

The incident remained under investigation Saturday afternoon, Hansen said.