25-Year-Old Hiker Zachary Coates Found Dead in K-Country
Sad news from Kananaskis Country: 25-year-old Zachary Coates, who went missing on August 11, 2024, was found dead. Zachary, who lived in Calgary but was originally from Newfoundland, set out for a solo hike on Mount Smuts and never came back.
His mom had been sharing posts on Facebook asking for help, which spread widely. The last time anyone heard from him was around 1:00 PM that Sunday, right before he started his hike.
The Search and Discovery
The search for Zachary involved a lot of effort. RCMP Corporal Troy Savinkoff shared the details:
“Yesterday morning, around 10 a.m., we got a report about the missing hiker in Kananaskis. We reached out to Kananaskis Emergency Services, who were already on their way to check the trailhead where the hiker might have parked. A Conservation Officer was also sent there. They found the trailhead and used a helicopter to search the area. By noon, they found what they believed was the hiker, and sadly, he was confirmed dead.”
Zachary was found on the west-facing slope of Mount Smuts, thanks to the helicopter search. His body has been taken to the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death, but it looks like he might have fallen from the mountain.
A Tragic Pattern
This isn’t the first time tragedy has struck Mount Smuts. Two other hikers have lost their lives there:
- Catlin Hannah, a 27-year-old from Penhold, who fell to his death on August 13, 2018.
- Gregg Van Belliveau, a 53-year-old from Calgary, who also fell to his death on July 1, 2005.
