NEPHI — Two recreationists visiting Juab County died of apparent heart attacks in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25 and 26.
Ned Dunford, 54, Santaquin, died while hiking on Friday, and Walter Mason, 59, Payson, died on a camping trip.
Dunford was hiking with a friend on Willow Creek Trail, east of Mona on Mount Nebo, when he suffered an apparent heart attack, collapsed and died.
"His friend administered CPR for quite awhile before leaving him and hiking back down the trail to get help," Juab sheriff's deputy Greg Gurney said.
Gurney said Dunford collapsed at about 5:30 p.m., but, because of the hiking time involved, it was approximately 10:30 p.m. before Gurney arrived at the scene.
"His friend was exhausted from the trip," Gurney said. "Mona Fire Department volunteers hiked up the mountain to where Dunford was. They know the trail really well, which was a big help."
The Juab Search and Rescue Team then followed the Mona volunteers up the steep and rocky slope.
It took until about 3:30 a.m. to get Dunford off the mountain. Dunford's body was turned over to the state Medical Examiner's Office for verification of cause of death.
Mason and his wife were camping at Second Pond in Salt Creek Canyon when he suffered an apparent heart attack and died.
The man died at approximately 8:20 p.m.
"His wife was outside the camper cooking and he was inside," Gurney said. When she went to check on her husband, he was dead.
Gurney said the woman then went to a neighboring camper who had a cell phone and contacted the sheriff's office.