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Woman dies at Zion National Park during 16-mile hike with husband; hypothermia possible

This Sept. 15, 2015, file photo, shows Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah.
This Sept. 15, 2015, file photo, shows Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah.

A woman died at Zion National Park this week, the National Park Service said, and her husband was rescued while looking for help.

According to a Thursday news release, the man told rescuers the two had become "dangerously cold" overnight – with symptoms consistent to hypothermia – after beginning their 16-mile hiking trip through The Narrows, a well-known area in the park, on Tuesday.

The married couple stopped hiking towards the north end of Zion's Riverside Walk, a paved trail. The man went to search for help Wednesday morning while the woman stayed back, the park service said.

According to AccuWeather, the temperatures at Zion National Park ranged from a high of 55 degrees to a low of 14 on Wednesday – colder than the average November low of 37 in Zion.

Park rangers found the man at Riverside Walk, where fellow visitors were helping him down the trail. He was then transported to the Zion Emergency Operations Center, officials said.

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Farther up The Narrows, near the Virgin River, other visitors "administered CPR to the woman before Zion Search and Rescue Team members arrived. The National Park Service appreciates these visitors' efforts," the news release said.

The woman was unresponsive. First responders on scene also administered emergency aid, but soon determined she had died, the National Park Service said.

Visitors explore The Narrows at Zion National Park in Utah on July 15, 2014.
Visitors explore The Narrows at Zion National Park in Utah on July 15, 2014.

The man, 33, and the woman, 31, were not identified by name. And the current condition of the man was not specified.

"The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Office of the Medical Examiner, and the National Park Service are still investigating the cause of the woman’s death," the National Park Service said Thursday.

According to the National Park Service, more than 20 search and rescue officials were involved in the park's rescue response.

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August: Arizona woman swept away by floodwaters at Zion National Park found dead after four-day search 

In August, another woman died at Zion National Park while hiking through The Narrows. Jetal Agnihotri, a 29-year-old from Arizona, was discovered after a four-day search – miles from the area where she was swept away by floodwaters while visiting the park with friends.

Contributing: The Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zion National Park visitor dies during Narrows hike with husband