Steven Smith Obituary – A body was discovered in the Blackrock Canyon, located south of Pocatello, on Monday, according to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.
The deceased individual has been identified as Steven Smith, a 49-year-old resident of Pocatello. Authorities believe that his death was due to medical reasons and do not suspect any foul play.
According to friends of Smith, he may have visited the canyon alone on Sunday morning to inspect his damaged ATV, which he had left there a week earlier. Concerned after not hearing from him for several hours, his friends went to check on him and tragically found him deceased.
The friends promptly contacted the Sheriff’s office at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. Smith’s body was discovered approximately one mile away from the Blackrock Canyon Trailhead, situated in a challenging and rugged canyon that required specialized off-road vehicles for access.
Due to the difficult terrain, rescue teams had to wait until Monday morning to retrieve the body.
This recovery operation marked the inaugural mission for the Search and Rescue’s Backcountry Team, a newly formed unit consisting of skilled volunteers experienced in various backcountry activities such as skiing, snowmobiling, mountaineering, and off-road vehicle navigation. The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, as stated by the sheriff’s office.