MT. OLYMPUS — A Salt Lake woman fell to her death Sunday while hiking in rugged terrain on Mt. Olympus.

Celeste Yang, 36, and a man were crossing a ridge just north of Mt. Olympus and were not on an established trail when she fell, according to Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell.

Investigators say the man climbed down to the woman after the fall, then had to climb back up the mountain so he could call for help.

Emergency crews responded after receiving the call about 12:20 p.m. It took a search team two hours to reach Yang's body, which was recovered from the mountain by helicopter.

Bell said Yang was an experienced hiker who was known to some of the search and rescue workers. He described her as someone who knew what she was doing and had proper equipment.

"She was in good shape. She knew the mountains relatively well," he said.

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Sunday's was the 42nd search and rescue operation that Unified police have conducted this year, and the seventh fatality, according to Bell.

— Dennis Romboy

Email: romboy@deseretnews.com

Twitter: dennisromboy

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