Bushwhacking across landscapes can be dangerous, particularly if the footing is steep and covered with talus -- areas of loose rock. At Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a Missouri man died when he slipped while crossing a talus slope and fell 70 feet into a shallow arm of Lake Powell.

Robert Hunt, 49, of St. Peters, Missouri, was day-hiking this past Saturday with a friend when he tried to cross a talus slope at the edge of a cliff. He slipped and fell, landing in the shallow water and mud 70 feet below; he died from a traumatic head injury, according to NRA officials. The accident occurred in the Escalante River about 2 miles upstream from the mouth of Explorer Canyon, according to the NRA. Mr. Hunt had been visiting the area with four friends and had gone on several day hikes during his trip, an NRA release said.