BillJ

More info on the tragedy up at Vernal Falls in Yosemite. One of the witnesses uses the word stupid.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/07/20/...-3-plunge.html

Seems the three had climbed over the guard rail. The last paragraph of the article indicates that they may have been swimming 25 feet up river from the falls.

The article also gives some history of the people that have died recently in Yosemite. From what I can tell, they all died as a result of their own actions and in disregard of signage and just plain common sense.

This is real nature, folks! Yosemite is particularly beautiful this year due to the amount of water and late spring. It is also that much more dangerous. The water is snow melt. That means very coooold! And it flows very swiftly. It is not a swimming pool.

Geez! Come to Yosemite and ooh and aahh. But don't be stupid!!!!!

sunbum1944

Another incident in Oregon at Crater Lake a couple of days ago- a young man climbed over a barrier and then fell head first down a sleep slope into a caldera. Took a crew of 50 to rescue him - he is on a respirator now.

Amazed at the people who think those warning signs do not apply to them

Suzie

The sign at Vernal Falls is quite explicit about the risk of climbing over the barrier. It says right on the sign thatyou will die.

Stay out of the water. Powerful hidden current will carry you over the fall. If you go over the fall you will die.

Can't get much more explicit than that.

It's not like you are kept back from the fall either. The metal barrier allows you to get very close to the fall but to view it safely. You actually could not be closer without being in the water. I don't why people need to be closer than that. I guess some people are just not satisfied with close enough.

nytraveler

If people are determined to be stupid there is no way you can force them to exercise common sense. One would think any adult knows a guard rail is there for a reason.

I understand if a 15 year old lets hormones overtake caution - but adults need to know better.

crefloors

I read this morning that they were trying to take pictures, of each other I guess. It's a very sad thing, especially for their families, but honestly, I have a hard time feeling sorry for them. It really WAS stupid and absolutely unnecessary.

michele_d

We live near the Kern River and it is swift and dangerous. There are warning signs everywhere to stay out of the water in certain areas, but people still insist that the signage doesn't apply to them. There is a sign at the mouth of the canyon stating how many have died in the river and every year (or several times a year the number is increased). This event at Yosemite is more of the same. Why do people not get it? Rushing water is dangerous, plain and simple. Dangerous. I can't imagine what these kids' parents are going through right now.

SAB

OP has it right, too many people treat National Parks and the great outdoors as though they were in Disneyland or some other theme park. Going to Yosemite, Yellowsone, the Grand Canyon have become synonymous with going to Disney, in the minds of some visitors. They are ill-prepared i.e. flip flops to climb Half Dome and seem to think that there will be an attendant telling them to keep their hands in during the ride. I think it has been made too easy for people to experience difficult or dangerous places in comfort and they do not understand and ignore the consequences of straying off the path.

pupchic

A personal note here - you are exactly right, it isn't a theme park. However, not all incidents that happen at Yosemite or other National Parks are from people doing stupid things like climbing over rails. A lifelong dear friend's brother was one of the three who died at Yosemite in May. He was hiking the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, slipped and fell to his death. It was an awful, awful tragedy. While the tragedy is another example of "this is not a theme park", I guess I didn't want the idea being thrown around that everyone treats it casually. He was not a casual or stupid hiker.

SAB

pupchic, the death of your friend's brother illustrates that there are places in Yosemite (and other National Parks) that can be dangerous even for experienced nature or wilderness visitors. It should serve as an additional warning: Mother Nature can be very harsh even if you know what you are doing.

pupchic

SAB - I absolutely agree with you. It just seemed the perception here was that the deaths at the parks are all because someone is acting stupidly, etc. They aren't. And while I agree people take nature more casually than they should at times, there is a point when the number of deaths illustrates that more precautions need to be taken - your point that perhaps it is to easy for people to experience dangerous places. And believe me, I am all about "personal responsibility" but the death toll numbers are way too high. I'm not sure what the answer is...

mlgb

I don't think there is any question that these particular three were being stupid, however. People were pleading with them to get out of the water.

"Other visitors were pleading with them to come out of the water," Gediman said. According to Bibee, several in the church party had gone around the guardrail and were dismissive of requests to stay back from the river. A man in his 40s or 50s who appeared to be in the group, Bibee said, was holding a young girl over the top of the fall.

"Enough of us said, 'Hey man, get out of there. That's not safe,' " Bibee said.But then Bibee noticed that the three who eventually fell in had also crossed over, and were "taking pictures and being stupid."

nytraveler

It is always possible to have an accidnet. And none of us can control Mother Nature - tornado etc - but there are MANY people who refuse to exercise any common sense. (And frankly, this is nature's way of cutting down on the number of stupid and foolhardy who can live to reproduce).

Agree that too many people think Disney is real. And while mistaking Italy land for Venice is stupid - it's not dangerous. Look at what happened to the Croc Hunter - eventually his risk-takng killed him. But these people don't even realize they are taking risks.

And it's not just natinal parks. I've seen people walk out past the breakers at Jones Beach when the signs clearly said no swimmng due to storm waves and undertow. Never saw one die - but saw several who would have without a bunch of life guards risking their lives. IMHO the survivors should be fined - let them pay the lifeguards salary for a month. Or the park rangers. Maybe then they would listen.

SAB

puchic, I agree that more precautions should be taken, but I think that hikers are the ones who should be doing it. I believe signs warning hikers should be read and guardrails should not be ignored. There is only so much that can (should) be done to protect people from their own foolishness. I also think that Yosemite was right to limit the number of people who can hike Half Dome and require permits, but people are protesting their right to have more access and are suggesting that the NP install more ropes.

BTW I think posters on this site should do their part and discourage visitors from viewing the National Parks as theme parks. I have seen too many posters asking questions which evidence a lack of understanding about the nature of the parks.

pupchic

SAB - Your points are very well taken.

1JAR

Just another example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

It is also an example of my latest theory "I want my money back." People who disobey signage, warnings and other directions should be obligated to pay back those that rescue or search.

Everyday life is hard enough and as mentioned Mother Nature, acts of God are all beyond our control: and yet these people want "Extreme Experiences".

As another poster said, I have no sympathy for those who don't follow the warnings.

november_moon

I agree with you SAB. The more we do to protect people from themselves, the dumber people behave.