Who was Chenoa Nickerson? Family honors Grand Canyon hiker months after tragic accident

Grand Canyon Search Rescue has recovered the deceased body of Chenoa Nickerson after she was swept away by a flash flood while hiking near Havasu Creek.

On August 22, 2024, Chenoa went on a hike with her husband Andrew Nickerson for her 33rd birthday. After the flash flood, a group of rafters were able to rescue Andrew; However, Chenoa was missing for three days.

“There was never an adventure too big for her, so she traveled all over the world,” recalls Chenoa’s sister, Tamara Morales.

A helicopter rescue team found Chenoa’s body in the Colorado River. Her body was later sent to the Coconino County Coroner for further examination.

Who was Chenoa Nickerson?

Chenoa was born in Luxembourg in 1991 to Bodo and Yvonne Wolters. Chenoa moved to the United States with her family in 1993. Growing up, she lived in various states including Connecticut, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

She had also lived in Germany and Ireland for six years before finally settling in Arizona, near her sister Kyra’s home, in 2022. According to her obituary, Chenoa always had a knack for outdoor adventures, and hiking was one of them.

“We always say she was the best of us. She was full of life. She was fearless,” said Chenoa’s sister Morales. “I’m the oldest and she learned to ride a bike before me because I was too scared – but not Chenoa.”

On Thursday, August 22, 2024, a flash flood hit Grand Canyon National Park while Chenoa and her husband Andrew were hiking. Although Andrew was recovered from some rafters, Chenoa was nowhere to be found. She was described as a 5-foot-8-inch white female with brown hair and blue eyes.

According to the National Park Services, search methods included air searches, ground searches and the use of rescue vessels to search for missing people. Chenoa was later discovered by a commercial raftsman in the Colorado River.

Chenoa had three siblings, including two sisters and a brother. They founded a charity to honor Chenoa and to thank Grand Canyon National Park Search and Rescue for their efforts. According to them, the fund will be used for search and rescue training, rescue supplies, modernized equipment and other items.

“These brave men and women used every means possible to find our sweet sister, negotiating dangerous terrain with extremely limited communication methods and leaving no stone unturned. We are deeply grateful to them and fully recognize that they have defied the impossible to bring our family the gift of closure,” it said.

Chenoa’s sister, Tamara Morales, also started a GoFundMe campaign in memory of Chenoa and to give back to the rescue search team who searched tirelessly for her. The fund had raised $23,660. In your opinion,

“Our goal is to drive this forward by fostering a culture of gratitude and support. We believe that by helping others we can make a positive impact and inspire those around us to do the same.”

Months after Chenoa’s recovery, her family organized a memorial service on November 10, 2024 at Sun Valley Community Church on the South Gilbert Campus.

“Chenoa will always be remembered for her kind heart and boundless love that she generously extended to everyone she met, and her absence will be deeply felt every day,” her obituary said.