facebook-pixel

Belgian tourist dies at ‘The Wave’ rock formation on Utah-Arizona border

(AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) In this May 28, 2013, file photo, a hiker walks on a rock formation known as The Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. A 49-year-old Belgian man has died in an apparent heat-related death while hiking a popular spot near the Utah-Arizona border called "The Wave."

(AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) In this May 28, 2013, file photo, a hiker walks on a rock formation known as The Wave in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. A 49-year-old Belgian man has died in an apparent heat-related death while hiking a popular spot near the Utah-Arizona border called "The Wave."

A Belgian tourist has died of apparent heat-related causes while hiking at a popular rock formation called “The Wave” near the Utah-Arizona border.

Kane County sheriff’s Sgt. Alan Alldredge says 49-year-old Christophe Pochic was found dead Monday night after his 16-year-old son called his mother at a hotel to tell her that his father had become disoriented and needed help.

Alldredge says it’s the first death at The Wave at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument since a trio of fatalities in 2013.

The geological gem attracts worldwide visitors with its swirls of searing red, orange and yellow that fold into a bowl. The 6-mile roundtrip hike there is unmarked, and cellphone reception is spotty at best.

Only 20 people are allowed to visit each day, chosen in a lottery system.

Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.

$15$25$35

MOST VIEWED

By The Associated Press