The CEO of a Utah-based software company tragically died over the weekend after falling 200 feet while climbing in Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah, according to officials.
Around 6 p.m. local time Saturday, Justin Bingham, 40, was canyoneering near the exit of Heaps Canyon, where he fell approximately 150 to 200 feet, the National Parks Service (NPS) confirmed in a statement.
NPS said he was with three other climbers, and they were all following their permitted itinerary.
After receiving the report of the fall, Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene and rendered emergency medical care.
Bingham was extracted by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to a helispot where he received additional aid, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead before he could be transported by air ambulance to a hospital.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” said Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh.
Bingham was the CEO of Opiniion, a software company in the city of Lindon just outside Provo that focuses on property management solutions.
The company confirmed his death to Fox News Digital, and said the tragic accident happened while he was enjoying one of his greatest passions — exploring the outdoors.
“Justin was a visionary who believed in the power of genuine connections, both with our clients and within our team. His commitment to building meaningful relationships made a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Justin’s spirit of adventure and dedication to living life fully will be deeply missed,” the company said.
“If you spent any time around him, he was the eternal optimist. ‘Everything is always going to work out.’ He told me so many times…. But he was right, and it usually did,” added Opiniion President and COO Devin Shurtleff.
“Justin wasn’t just a leader here at Opiniion—he was a mentor, a dad, and a friend to many of us. He believed that the relationships we build are what make this work meaningful, and he truly lived that every day,” Shurtleff continued.
Zion National Park and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the exact cause of Bingham’s death.