Missouri man who died on Utah hike is identified

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The Wayne County Sheriff's Office identified the man who was found dead in Horseshoe Canyon on Saturday morning as Grant Welland of St. Louis.

Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kassidee Brown had said the 73-year-old man, who was hiking alone, last called a friend on July 12. Welland had planned a long hiking trip with various stops, including Horseshoe Canyon, and was supposed to be out of the canyon July 28.

Search and rescue officials on Friday found Welland's vehicle parked at the canyon's trailhead. With the help of a helicopter, searchers found his body just before noon on Saturday.

Wayne County officials were unsure about Welland's cause of death or how long he had been dead. His body was sent to the medical examiner's office.

Welland was a retired professor from the University of Missouri at St. Louis.

Michael McFall and Bob Mims