Hidden True Crime - Utah Dad Charged with Torture after Hike from Hell | Micah Smith Full Story

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Starting point is 00:01:44 Experience Utah's trail country at the Rocky Mountain Jamboree. Register today at richfield, Utah.com. Every story starts somewhere. A moment that seems ordinary until it isn't. Today, we're diving into another case where everything changed in an instant. My name is Lauren Matthias, and this is Hidden True Crime. Some of the brightest memories from childhood come from the adventures we share with our parents. Maybe it was early morning fishing trips with your dad.

Starting point is 00:02:24 Weekend hikes as a family are piling into the car for a cross-country drive. And for most kids, few places feel safer than being right beside the people who raised them. So when a father set out on a mountain hike with his three young children, there was no reason for them or anyone else to feel afraid. After all, no responsible parent would ever push toddlers to the edge of their limits or challenge the forces of nature to reach a summit. A loving parent knows when to turn back. A loving parent doesn't gamble with their kids' lives. but on this particular trip in mid-October, one bad circumstance slid into the next, sudden weather, a dangerous fall, and a level of unpreparedness that stunned even seasoned rescuers. By the time a full search and rescue mission unfolded, many were certain they were witnessing an act of pure heroism, a father sacrificing everything so his children could make it off the mountain alive. And yet, as investigators peeled back the layers, a different picture began to emerge, one that

Starting point is 00:03:35 suggested this might not be a heroic tragedy after all, but a preventable disaster born from choices that went far beyond simple negligence. In today's episode, we're walking through everything we know about the harrowing ordeal in Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah involving Micah Smith and his three children. asking the difficult question, at what point does determination and adventure turn into something deadly? Micah Smith was born on December 8, 1993, a Utah native who grew up surrounded by Red Rock Horizons, wide open sky, and a pull towards the outdoors that never really left him. He went to Cedar City High School and later the University of Utah where friends remember him

Starting point is 00:04:23 as the kind of guy who was always working on something with his hands, building, fixing, problem solving. Construction wasn't just a job for Micah. It was a skill set. He kept sharpening. And that passion eventually became the foundation of the Smith's family business. Micah and his wife, Samantha, have been together for 13 years. In June of 2020, they launched Valor Construction, a company built on Micah's years of experience in the industry and the couple's share dream of creating something of their own. It was a kind of leap people talk about for years, a risk, yes, but one rooted in confidence and the belief that they could build a better future for their kids. And those kids were their whole world. At home in South Jordan, Utah, Micah and Samantha were

Starting point is 00:05:10 raising three little ones, an eight-year-old daughter, a four-year-old son, and a two-year-old son. In just about every family photo, the Smiths are outside. Sometimes it's Micah on a ridge line. Sometimes it's all five of them folded into a blanket of wildflowers and sometimes it's their footprints stretching across sunny stretch of beaches. They weren't just an outdoorsy family. They lived most of their happiest moments there. But even in families that look picture perfect from the outside, life can get heavy. And by early September, Micah was carrying more weight than most people realized. Around that time, something shifted, something that raised concern among those who saw him up close.

Starting point is 00:05:50 Approximately one month before the incident, police in Cottonwood Heights responded to a call. They found Micah in his vehicle with two firearms and an axe, searching for a trailhead and telling officers he was, quote, going through a really hard time and that he planned to hike up to the top of the mountain. He also made statements that hinted at self-harm, ideation, statements he later denied. He told officers he wasn't planning to hurt himself, But the moment stands out. It marks a point where his emotional state and his love for the mountains intersected in a way that felt uneasy and in hindsight, revealing.

Starting point is 00:06:31 By the time October arrived, whatever was troubling Micah hadn't magically disappeared. Maybe it was the stress of running a new business, maybe the pressure of providing for a young family, maybe tension in the marriage, especially since it appeared Samantha did not want to join the hike that he planned. Whatever the reason, on October 11th, Micah decided to take his three children on a hike to Big Cottonwood Canyon, a familiar place, a beautiful place. And for a father known for outdoor confidence, it probably felt like a way to reconnect, to breathe, to step away from whatever was weighing on him. If everything had gone the way it normally does, a hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon should have been nothing more than a peaceful escape into Utah's backcountry. This canyon carved deep into the Wasatch Mountains was just southeast of Salt Lake City, and it stretches for miles, an outdoor playground known for summer picnics, climbing routes, cool streams, and winding trails that pull you slowly higher into the alpine air. Every story starts out ordinary, a normal day, a familiar place, and then something happens that changes everything in an instant. What began as just another day turned into a nightmare that no one saw coming.

Starting point is 00:07:55 The area, Micah chose, wasn't one of the easy family-friendly loops that you find closer to the road. He headed toward the Broad's Fork Trail, a route that seasoned hikers described as rewarding, yet stunning, even, but also steep, strenuous, and absolutely not designed for small children. or a single parent managing three young children. A typical broads fork hike starts off with a punch. The trail climbs immediately, no warm up, no gentle incline, just straight up ascent that can leave even fit adults catching their breath. It moves quickly from open views to thick pine forest, the kind of terrain where the air cools, but the footing gets trickier.

Starting point is 00:08:43 Roots, rocks, narrow passages, while it's nothing extreme for an experienced adult, It is a lot for little legs to navigate. After that first climb, hikers reach a brief flattening of the trail, a small pause where you can look back down the canyon and notice how far you've already gained. Then the pitch steepens again. The path threads through deep forest, crosses a small wooden bridge, and eventually spills into a lower meadow. It's here that the landscape opens for the first time, a moment of relief before the trail tilts upward once more. farther ahead, dense Aspen Groves take over, a sign that you're getting closer to the Cirque.

Starting point is 00:09:23 In this context, a cirque is a natural, bull-shaped amphitheater carved into the side of a mountain by ancient glacial activity. Cirques are dramatic, scenic, and usually surrounded by tall peaks, which is exactly what makes the Broad Forks area so breathtaking. They're also a sign that the terrain is rugged and steep because glaciers only carved out these formations in high alpine environment. When hikers talk about reaching the cirque, it usually means you're deep into a challenging mountain hike and surrounded by towering rock walls on three sides. For those who push on, the trail leads to a wider upper meadow and a beaver pond sitting beneath a wall of towering peaks, sunrise, dromdery, and twin peaks. In early summer, these slopes erupt with wildflowers so thick and vibrant that hikers joke about double-checking their passports to make sure they haven't wandered. into the Alps. But there's a reason these views are not crowded. The trail demands real effort, heavy elevation gain, rocky switchbacks, constant uphill grind. Rattlesnakes are known in the area

Starting point is 00:10:30 and the remoteness means you can't just rely on passing hikers to help if something goes wrong. And that's the point. This is the kind of hike you tackle with planning, stamina, and plenty of daylight, the kind of trail where adults bring trekking poles, the kind of place where you keep both hands free because you may need to steady yourself on rocks to help someone over a fallen log. It is not the kind of trail designed for an eight-year-old, let alone a four-year-old and a two-year-old or all of them combined, and it's certainly not the kind of trail one adult should be attempting to manage three small children, not when the terrain is this steep, this exposed, and this physically demanding. So when Micah headed into big Cottonwood Canyon that day, following a path

Starting point is 00:11:17 that even experienced hikers called challenging, the question becomes impossible to ignore. Why this trail? Why this level of difficulty? And why on this day did he attempt this alone? The morning began innocently enough. Micah Smith gathered his three children, referred to as EA, EZ, and E.S, for what he described as a nine-mile hike that could easily take nine-mile hike. That could easily take nine hours. The kids were excited, especially since they had just got new hiking shoes. Micah peck, snacks, jerky, cans of tuna, pretzels, cliff bars, candy, and a gatorade, and help the children into jackets and car seats before leaving. Again, he exchanged a few texts with his wife, Samantha. He wrote, we're going to go for a hike. Kids are excited, and she replied,

Starting point is 00:12:03 okay, be safe. Text me picks. They left home around 9 a.m. and arrived at the trailhead at 10 a.m. voters later recovered from Micah's phone showed the kids smiling, picking up rocks, running ahead, and joining themselves. Micah sent one to Samantha with the caption, They're Having Fun. She responded, aw, that's cute. Don't get too far up. Almost like a foreshadowing. As a hike progressed, the terrain became more challenging. Eight-year-old EA later described scrambling over rocks, holding onto bushes and climbing what felt like two miles from the top. The children complained and struggled, but Micah encouraged them with breaks, games, and motivation.

Starting point is 00:12:47 By late afternoon, the weather began to turn. Around 5.17 p.m., Micah sent a photo to Samantha showing dark clouds forming. He wrote, EZ is exhausted. We're almost to the very top, but everyone is starting to fail, and it's starting to rain. I'm getting tired of carrying ES. It's tough with three children and no second parent, end quote. Samantha urged him to turn around. She said, quote, you better leave. It's going to get dark, end quote. By 6.02 p.m., he replied, I know it's stressing me out deep in the clouds, and quote. She warned again writing, quote, child endangerment, not cool, end quote. At 6.11 p.m., Micah sent another photo showing the children surrounded by clouds, rocks, and snow. Easy, vivid. visibly cold. Samantha replied, get them home. And at 6.41 p.m., she texted again, well, with a question

Starting point is 00:13:51 mark, an exclamation point. Despite the warnings from his wife, from his children, and from the changing weather, Micah pressed on. Near the summit, the storm intensified, mist, fog, rain, hail, and snow. EA pleaded. We should really go, I'm getting scared. But he refused. saying, quote, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. By around 8 p.m., the weather and exhaustion finally forced them to try to retreat. They attempted to hike back down the trail and made it approximately 600 feet, but conditions were treacherous. Yes, the youngest fell and hit his head on a rock, appearing dazed.

Starting point is 00:14:32 With no proper shelter nearby, Micah found a large boulder with an overhang and quickly constructed a makeshift shelter by using log, sticks, rock, pine needles and even his own shirt to block the wind. He removed the children's clothes, soaking wet from the rain, and huddled with them to keep them warm. The night turned into a fight for survival. EA described freezing conditions, teeth chattering, wet clothing, extreme cold. One of her brothers developed hypothermia. She ran to him, hugging him tightly, breathing into his mouth and pushing on his chest. Micah taught her CPR to help keep her sibling alive while he tried to manage the other.

Starting point is 00:15:15 ES became unconscious and stopped breathing. Micah performed CPR until he was breathing again. Later, EZ also became very cold, struggling to breathe and requiring repeated CPR throughout the night. Micah taught EA to continue performing CPR while he left them behind, presumably to find help. Get ready to ride. The Rocky Mountain Jamboree returns to Richfield, Utah,

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Starting point is 00:16:54 ORA gives you all of it, together, at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today atora.com slash remove. Protect yourself now at aura.com slash remove. This ordeal lasted hours in near-freezing wet conditions. Michael later admitted he was unfamiliar with the trail, did not check weather reports, and had made a spontaneous, poorly planned decision to continue toward the summit rather than turn back when danger was evident.

Starting point is 00:17:25 As dawn approached and the family hadn't returned, Surgeon rescue teams were called. Deputies and troopers deployed via helicopter and found EA, the eight-year-old standing near auburn. boulder with a few sticks stacked as a makeshift shelter. Beneath her, ES, the two-year-old was huddled under EZ, who was mostly exposed, unconscious, and appeared lifeless. Both younger children were extremely cold and in critical condition. They were immediately airlifted off the mountain and transported to the hospital. EZ, only four years old, was pulseless during transport. Paramedics

Starting point is 00:18:02 performed CPR for 25 minutes while fluid and foam emerged from his lungs and nose. Upon arrival, his core body temperature was 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit. CPR continued, and he was placed on VA ECMO to support heart and lung function. This is literally a life support machine that functions as an artificial heart and lung for patients with acute heart and lung failure. And tragically, he suffered a stroke in the hospital that required part of his skull to be removed and an external that, ventricular drain to be placed. E.A. was terrified and exhausted, but alive. She later recounted climbing rocks, grabbing bushes, the storm, and performing CPR on her siblings under her father's

Starting point is 00:18:49 instructions. She said, quote, I was worried about not living. I had to keep him warm. I had to help him breathe. Daddy told me what to do. End quote. The hike was nearly nine miles, rated hard and unsafe for children. The terrain was unstable. Rocks shifted, and only two of five deputies felt confident navigating the treacherous area. A hiker who had taken the same trail reported a 20-degree drop in temperature two hours into his hike and turned back. But Micah, he continued. Text messages from the day highlighted the disregard for safety and one heartbreaking video where EA could be heard asking, quote, are we going to freeze to death, Daddy? Despite repeated warnings from his wife and the children, Micah pressed forward and later left the children alone on the mountain while descending.

Starting point is 00:19:46 When law enforcement reached him, he reportedly behaved oddly, showing little concern for his children and admitted performing CPR. At one point, he told rescuers that he thought one of his children was dead. When the story first went public, Micah was widely praised as a hero, someone who had sacrificed himself to protect his children. A GoFundMe was even launched for the family, framing the ordeal as a tragic accident. But as investigators combed through text, videos, photos, and interviews with the older children, a far darker reality came into focus. This wasn't just a misstep or poor judgment.

Starting point is 00:20:26 It was negligent, reckless, and abusive putting his children to a terrifying, completely avoidable ordeal that has left deep emotional scars. I'm Jeremy Thames up Big Cottonwood Canyon near the Broad's Fork Trailhead. This is where the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office says 31-year-old Micah Smith and his three children went missing on Saturday and couldn't be found until Sunday morning. Smith was hiking with boys aged 2 and 4 as well as an 8-year-old girl. The GoFund be established by family members says that they had taken the trail all the way to Twin Peaks when they got caught in a storm at the summit.

Starting point is 00:21:03 Official U.S. Forest Service maps here in the parking lot show the trailhead is at about 6,200 feet above sea level. The trail then climbs about 5,000 feet to the Twin Peak Summit at over 11,000 feet. My kids hike, and they're 8 and 10, and they're nowhere near. They couldn't do that trail. That is a very impressive and difficult trail. Sarah John and Lauren Gayer tell me they tend to come up the canyon several times a week, and even happened to be hiking here this past Saturday as well. So we saw that it was like already getting windy.

Starting point is 00:21:35 We knew it was going to rain. So we actually hiked across the street just to a shorter hike. Adding that conditions at this time of year can change in an instant. It's important not to go up on the tall peaks, especially in the later in the day when the storms do rolling, because that's where it in danger can definitely happen. The sheriff's office says the 8-year-old is out of the hospital and the 2-year-old is stable.

Starting point is 00:21:57 But they add the 4-year-old remains. in critical condition and Smith was admitted to a burn unit for frostbite. Their online fundraiser is nearing its goal of $35,000. John says she's found herself in situations where she's been on the trail hours longer than anticipated and so she hopes for the best for each of them. Especially in Utah, people hike so much here. So tragedy can occur to any family that does that. So just, yeah, always be prepared. But our thoughts definitely and prayers go out to them. The details surrounding exactly what happened up this trailhead over this weekend remains scarce. But the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office notes they are actively investigating the incident.

Starting point is 00:22:39 In Big Cottonwood Canyon, I'm Jeremy Tombs. Fox 13 News, Utah. The legal fallout from the Big Cottonwood Canyon hike followed soon after. On November 10th, Micah was trespassed from primary children's hospital after staff alleged she interfered with EZ's care. and tampered with medical equipment. Around the same time, he was arrested for domestic violence and charged in Salt Lake City Justice Court. The domestic violence incident may have stemmed

Starting point is 00:23:10 from a confrontation with Samantha, potentially triggered by the hiking incident. Micah's erratic behavior and concerns that he had been tampering with their son's medical care. Authorities described his behavior at this time as spiraling, presenting a danger both to himself and to the children. Micah now faces six first-degree felony charges related directly to the hike and the subsequent harm to his children, according to court filings. The counts include one, three counts

Starting point is 00:23:40 of torture for intentionally or knowingly inflicting serious injury upon EA, EZ, and E.S, in an exceptionally cruel or depraved manner, causing extreme physical or psychological pain or as part of a prolonged course of conduct. Three counts of aggravated abuse for intentionally or knowingly causing serious physical injury to the children. The state has argued in pretrial motions that Micah poses a substantial danger to the community and to the children and should be held without bail. Investigators concluded that what began as an ordinary family hike escalated into a near fatal ordeal, leaving one child critically injured, one, with potentially permanent consequences and an eight-year-old forced to perform life-saving measures under extreme conditions.

Starting point is 00:24:37 Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said, quote, this is about the emotional and psychological harm. The way he acted was in a depraved manner that caused emotional harm. Given the context of how it unfolded, we believe that the charges adequately reflect the analysis by the screening team. End quote. Not an easy hike that he would take a child upon. Micah Smith is facing six felony charges after investigators say he took his three young

Starting point is 00:25:06 children to hike up Brods Fork Trail, a big Cottonwood Canyon, leading to serious injuries and a rescue. The search and rescue folks, for them, this hike was a hard hike. This is not an easy hike. This is a one that even has trained professionals. They suffered injury trying to respond to it. The indictment says Smith and his three kids, ages two, four and eight, set out on the trail at 10 a.m. on October 11. Investigators said Smith did not check the weather. They were caught in a storm several thousand feet up the mountain.

Starting point is 00:25:40 The indictment says they took shelter through the night under a rock. Salt Lake County Sheriffs got the call for search and rescue on October 12th. The indictment said once the team found Smith along the train, They said he was acting odd and told them that one of his kids had died. Two of the younger children who had fallen down and taken some head trauma, including one who had stopped breathing. In an interview with the eight-year-old girl, investigators said she told them her dad pressed them to go on after she had said she was scared. As conditions deteriorated overnight, she said her dad taught her CPR to keep her brother alive. try to save her brother and to also to continue to go through that experience where she communicated fear and concern and they were told to march on.

Starting point is 00:26:28 Investigators said Smith's wife sent him text messages, urging him to get the children down from the mountain before dark, at one point texting him child endangerment. Search and rescue said the kids were not wearing much clothing. According to the indictment, a video from Smith's phone recorded one of his children asking if they were going to freeze the death. The four-year-old is still in the hospital. Investigators said his body temperature when he arrived at the hospital was 62.6 degrees. They said he had a stroke requiring part of his school to be removed and a drain to be placed. This was something the children were afraid to do. District Attorney Simgill said these are allegations at this time.

Starting point is 00:27:09 Three charges are torture and three for abuse. That they were going over rocks that were slipping. They were having to grab on to. vegetation as they were trying to hike as they were further going up. Gill said the children are getting the medical care they need and child protective services are aware of this case. The indictment says Smith was also arrested for domestic violence in the weeks after the incident. After this incident on November 10th, the defendant was trespassed from

Starting point is 00:27:39 primary children's hospital for interfering with one of his child's care and tampering with that, especially with that equipment. Smith has been booked into jail without bail. We reached out to his family for comment but haven't gotten a reply. In Salt Lake City, Avery Klanowski, Fox 13 News, Utah. Medical updates further highlight the severity of the ordeal. Micah suffered third degree frostbite but is currently in stable condition. His four-year-old son remains in critical condition on a heart and lung bypass machine.

Starting point is 00:28:14 The family reported that the eight-year-old daughter has been discharged. and the two-year-old son is in stable condition. The family later issued a statement writing, quote, The family is grieving and asks for privacy and sensitivity during this profoundly difficult time. We appreciate the outpouring of concern from the community. Our hearts are broken, but what has happened and our focus now is on ensuring that Micah, Samantha, and their children receive the support and love they need to heal. The kids are continuing to recover, and your deepest prayers are appreciated.

Starting point is 00:28:46 The Smith family wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation, the extraordinary efforts of the search and rescue teams, emergency responders, and the medical staff who are treating the family. The family is equally thankful for the community's expressions of sympathy and support during this difficult time, end quote. So what should we make of this case? Public reactions have been all over the map. Some people see it as a tragic accident saying things like, you can't even take your kids hiking anymore. while others argue it was outright criminal negligence with comments like he should lose his children, or even maybe he was trying to harm them, especially given his reported self-harm and ideation just weeks prior. Adding another layer, some social media users who claim to know Micah have speculated that he may have bipolar disorder

Starting point is 00:29:37 and could have been experiencing a manic episode. During mania, a person can feel euphoric or unusually confident, often displaying inflated self-esteem more grandiose beliefs about their abilities. Thoughts, race, attention is fragmented, and judgment is impaired, which can lead to impulsive or risky behavior, anything from recklessly spending to attempting dangerous or unrealistic projects. Physically, people with mania may show high energy, decreased need for sleep, rapid speech, restlessness, or agitation. In severe cases, delusions or hallucinations can occur making daily functioning and decision-making making extremely risky for themselves and for those around them.

Starting point is 00:30:21 Many observers have also pointed out a broader cultural trend, the rise of survivalist backpacking and extreme outdoor content on platforms like YouTube. One notable example is Outdoor Boys, a channel with over 15 million subscribers run by Luke Nickles. Luke, an Anchorage, Alaska native, was raised in the Alaskan wilderness and developed extensive skills in bushcraft, survival, and navigating dangerous terrain. On his channel, he takes his three young sons on rugged adventures, building log cabins in remote forests, crafting snow cave shelters, camping in sub-zero temperatures, and traversing ice, snow, and harsh wilderness that most families

Starting point is 00:31:03 would never attempt. The content mixes serious survival skills, shelter building, firecraft, cold weather camping, with wholesome father-son bonding, creating a balance between extreme outdoor living and family connection. What sets Luke apart is that he isn't a casual weekend adventurer. His Alaska upbringing and deep familiarity with harsh terrain allows him to safely guide his children through dangerous conditions, often making deliberate choices to stop or turn back when risk rises. Viewers aren't just watching a family camping trip. They're seeing survival level, backcountry skills, cold weather endurance, and outdoor construction performed under extreme conditions. Even as the channel grew, and Luke eventually stepped back from posting to protect his family's privacy, outdoor boys remains a testament to his skill, his judgment, and ability to balance adventure with safety.

Starting point is 00:31:58 The concern is this, though. Content like Luke's can inspire fathers with far less experience to attempt similar feats with their own children without fully appreciating the risks. While Micah may have been experienced in hiking, he lacked the kind of training and judgment someone like Luke demonstrates, especially when it comes to managing small children in hazardous conditions. Luke often assesses his surroundings and makes the conscious decision to turn back when danger appears, prioritizing his children's safety above completing the adventure. That critical difference, knowing when to stop, is exactly what may have been missing in Micah's decision-making that day. regardless, this case raises unsettling questions. Are the charges against Micah justified?

Starting point is 00:32:43 Was he struggling with a mental health crisis that clouded his judgment, or could his actions have been something far darker? Initially hailed as a hero, the evidence from texts and videos to interviews with the children paints a far more troubling picture. Ultimately, the focus has to be on the children, the trauma they endured and the long road ahead, this story forces us to wrestle with difficult truth about parental responsibility, risk, and the thin line between adventure and danger.

Starting point is 00:33:39 Get ready to ride. The Rocky Mountain Jamboree returns to Richfield, Utah, September 14th through the 18th, 2026. Join hundreds of OHV enthusiasts for five days of guided rock. through Utah's legendary Paiute, Gooseberry, and Great Western Trail Systems. Enjoy daily breakfast, prize raffles, a light parade, and a closing dinner with fellow riders. Experience Utah's trail country at the Rocky Mountain Jamboree. Register today at Richfield, Utah.com.

Starting point is 00:34:09 Get ready to ride. The Rocky Mountain Jamboree returns to Richfield, Utah, September 14th through the 18th, 2026. Join hundreds of OHV enthusiasts for five days of guided. rides through Utah's legendary Paiute, Gooseberry, and Great Western Trail Systems. Enjoy daily breakfast. Prize raffles, a light parade, and a closing dinner with fellow riders. Experience Utah's trail country at the Rocky Mountain Jamboree. Register today at richfield, Utah.com.

Hidden True Crime - Utah Dad Charged with Torture after Hike from Hell | Micah Smith Full Story

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