Justin Bingham Utah CEO of Opiniion & YouTuber falls 200 ft to his death rappelling along Zion National Park as ‘extreme’ outdoors enthusiast is remembered.
The CEO of a Utah based software company was killed after falling 200 feet while climbing along Zion National Park over the weekend.
Justin Bingham, 40, of Opiniion, a Lindon-based software company, was canyoneering near the exit of Heaps Canyon, in Springdale, Utah, on Saturday, Oct. 5, when he fell. The National Park Service said Bingham, a married father of four, was with three others and was permitted through Heaps Canyon when the incident happened.
After receiving the report of the fall around 6 p.m., Zion National Park Technical Search and Rescue Team and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived and provided emergency medical care while waiting for Life Flight. The National Park Service said Bingham was pronounced dead before he could be taken to hospital.
Married father of four taking extreme risks?
The other three canyoners were safely extracted out of the company by 2 p.m. the next day, ABC4 reported.
Not immediately clear is how Bingham came to fall and whether all safety precautions were being adhered to.
The route that the four men had been rappelling — along Upper Emerald Pools — is known to be one of the most challenging routes at Zion National Park.
Canyoneering is the sport of hiking/rappelling/swimming through narrow canyons filled with obstacles like high water, fallen trees or rockfall debris.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,’ said Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh.
Along with being a CEO, Bingham was also known for being a social media influencer, chronicling life with his wife and four children, including a son with cerebral palsy, on the YouTube channel Life in Holland.
‘Eternal optimist’
Commenting on the CEO’s death, Opiniion, said Bingham who enjoyed exploring the outdoors, died following his passions.
‘Justin was a visionary who believed in the power of genuine connections, both with our clients and within our teams,’ the company said in a statement. ‘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.’
Devin Shurtleff, Opiniion co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, called Bingham an ‘eternal optimist.’
‘Everything is always going to work out.’ He told me so many times but he was right and it usually did,’ said 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.’
Zion National Park and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the exact cause of Bingham’s death.
