Zachary Jacob Crandall, 16, passed away unexpectedly on August 19, 2026, following a hiking accident on Devil’s Castle in Alta, Utah, according to a report published August 20.
Crandall, who was known as Zach, was a resident of Sandy, Utah, after moving from Abington, Pennsylvania, as an infant. He was an honors student at Brighton High School with a 3.9 cumulative unweighted GPA and was expected to graduate this spring. He intended to attend San Diego State University.
An avid athlete, Crandall was a competitive freestyle trampoline athlete who earned third place at the 2023 Nationals GTG games in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also served as a part-time coach at KTR and was involved in men's volleyball at Brighton High School, where he served as co-captain of the sophomore team.
A closed-casket viewing is scheduled for Monday, August 24, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at Memorial Mountain View Cemetery in Cottonwood Heights. A memorial service will follow from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., followed by a gathering with desserts from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the same location.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Momentum Climbing Gym in Midvale.
Crandall is survived by his parents, Sandra and Josh, his brother Dylan, and his cats, Ginger and Pepper. In lieu of flowers, the family has established the Zach Crandall Memorial Fund to support future scholarship or memorial opportunities.
