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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Police say a man who died after falling in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Wednesday was an avid outdoorsman.
Wade Joseph Meade, 29, who was originally from Santa Margarita, California, and was living most recently in Park City, fell while hiking and climbing near Lake Blanche about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to Unified Police Sgt. Melody Gray.
Meade’s Facebook page says he began working for the ski patrol in Park City in 2017. Before that, he worked at Yosemite National Park in 2015.
On Wednesday, police say Meade was able to call police after falling approximately 15 feet. Unified police on Thursday corrected that number and said the fall was closer to 50 feet.
“He was saying that he thought maybe he had broken a couple of ribs, and he’d experienced some face trauma,” Gray said.
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter was called to the scene and used a hoist to lower rescuers down to where Meade had fallen. But as Meade was being transported off the mountain about 5:35 p.m., he succumbed to his injuries, Gray said.
An exact cause of death will be determined by the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office.
“Wade was a fun, energetic, outgoing and compassionate young man. He lived life to the fullest. His life will live on as he chose to be an organ donor. Please say a prayer for the Meade family in this time of grief,” a family friend posted on Facebook.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated Meade had recently moved back to California.
