Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Search Continues for Missing Hiker After Grand Canyon Flood
A sudden flood happened in the Grand Canyon after very heavy rain.
The rushing water carried mud, rocks and other debris through Bright Angel Creek.
Two hikers, John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz, died.
Another hiker, Timothy Allen Smith, was still missing on Tuesday.
Search teams were looking for him and checking whether anyone else might be unaccounted for.
Eighty-two people survived and were evacuated, mostly by helicopter.
The flood damaged trails, bridges and other structures.
It also damaged the park’s water pipes, so overnight places to stay had to close.
Daytime visitors could still visit both the North and South rims.
Search teams continued looking Tuesday for Timothy Allen Smith, the only conclusively missing hiker.
The National Park Service identified the two hikers who died as John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz.
A flash flood swept mud, boulders and debris through Bright Angel Creek on Saturday.
Authorities evacuated 82 survivors, mostly by helicopter, over the weekend.
Damage to the park’s water pipeline forced all overnight lodging facilities to close indefinitely.
- Who
- Hikers John Giusti, Brent Rosenkranz and Timothy Allen Smith, along with search-and-rescue teams and 82 evacuated survivors.
- What
- A flash flood killed two hikers and left one confirmed hiker missing in Grand Canyon National Park.
- When
- The flood occurred Saturday; search operations continued Tuesday, three days later.
- Where
- Bright Angel Creek in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, along the canyon floor between the North Rim and the Colorado River.
- Why
- Heavy rains triggered a torrent of mud, boulders and debris that swept through the creek.
- Confirmed deaths
- John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42, both from Granbury, Texas.
- Missing hiker
- Timothy Allen Smith, 53, remained missing, according to the National Park Service.
- Survivors evacuated
- 82 people were safely evacuated over the weekend, most by helicopter.
- Initial missing-person count
- Authorities initially said as many as 30 people were unaccounted for, later reducing the number to 15.
- Search status
- Search teams continued looking for Smith and checking for other possible victims.
- Park impact
- Damage to the water pipeline forced all overnight lodging facilities to close indefinitely.
- Visitor access
- The North and South rims remained open to daytime visitors.