Man dies in fall from cliff at San Rafael Swell

Noone, 48, had been rescued from same area by Emery Search and Rescue in May
    A 48-year-old Price man died during the early morning hours of June 11 after he fell from a cliff face overlooking the Swinging Bridge area of the San Rafael Swell.
Luke Noone was camping in the area with his partner Leslie Bruce when he decided to go for a night hike about 10:30 p.m. on June 10, He brought along his small dog, Amoeba. He told Bruce he’d return in two hours.
Noone was a regular hiker in the area, Bruce said. He was even rescued from a similar spot from which he fell on May 23, according to the Emery County Sheriff’s Office.
Bruce began to worry when Noone didn’t return to their campsite in the early morning hours. He said he called police after searching for Noone for a few hours.
An Emery County press release on the matter states that deputies and members of the county’s search and rescue team descended on the area, calling in a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter for assistance.
The helicopter crew spotted the man’s body at the base of steep, rugged terrain, Noone’s little dog standing guard over it.
Amber Livingston, Noone’s niece, received a text from Bruce at about 7 a.m. about her uncle being missing. She and her father went to the area and began assisting with the search.
The body was located about 2:30 p.m.
While Bruce was not familiar with the area, he and Livingston said Noone was.
“He’d actually gotten to the  top of it and got stuck three weeks prior,” Livingston said. “Search and rescue had to go and helicopter him off the top of that mountain.”
Bruce said the reason Noone wanted to climb to the top is because he was looking for petrified tree bark.
“Luke has always been obsessed with that mountain and climbing that mountain,” Livingston said.
She said she estimated Noone fell as much as 100 feet.
“Luke loved life and he loved people. He loved making people happy,” Livingston said.
Bruce was concerned about Noone’s safety before the accident. He said after the May 23 incident, he showed Noone a video portraying a hiker’s death. Noone assured him that if he ever died hiking, he would have died doing something he loved.
Funeral arrangements for Noone are being managed by Mitchell Funeral Home. A ceremony is scheduled for June 22 at 10 a.m.
Noone leaves behind a son, Seth Hanson, and his parents, Shirley Peterson and Skip Noone.
Noone’s remains will be cremated. The family is taking donations to cover his funeral costs.