A 57-year-old Denver man has been found dead in Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park after deputies discovered an abandoned vehicle and personal belongings near a steep viewpoint.
John N. Countryman’s body was located on the canyon floor following a drone search launched by the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office. His cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Deputies were called to the South Rim at about 5.31pm on October 27 after the vehicle was reported near mile marker 10. Belongings were also found close to Devil’s Lookout and handed to investigators as evidence.
A sheriff’s office drone team began searching the canyon for a possible missing person linked to the vehicle, but the operation was halted as daylight faded.
At about 6.30am the following morning, investigator Anthony Moschetti returned to Devil’s Lookout with Deputy Brett Suppes. A drone then detected human remains on the canyon floor.
Authorities recovered the body on October 30 and transferred it to the Montrose County Coroner’s Office. It was taken to Community Hospital for an autopsy, where the man was positively identified as Mr Countryman.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is known for its narrow gorges, rugged terrain and sheer drops that can reach about 2,000ft. Access to the inner canyon is limited, making searches and recovery operations particularly difficult.
