2 more die in Yosemite

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SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 25, 2018 - 04:03pm PT

https://www.yahoo.com/news/2-die-falling-overlook-yosemite-national-park-174859808.html

McHale's Navy

Trad climber

From Panorama City, CA

Oct 25, 2018 - 04:09pm PT

I recently hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls and was amazed at how unclear it was, in terms of guiding the masses, to proceed to the actual top of the falls. It is very poorly marked. It's amazing more people don't die up there. It's clear the Park Service believes in the survival of the fittest.

snakefoot

climber

Nor Cal

Oct 25, 2018 - 04:37pm PT

Sad for the families and those involved. I suspect fowl play..

climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:08pm PT

Some of the articles are scripted about Taft Point being recently viral as a proposal spot; this incident sounds more like a Lovers’ Leap...

Norton

climber

The Wastelands

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:14pm PT

perhaps a fair chance that they slipped off while doing a selfie, lots of reports of that from high places

climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:20pm PT

True...perhaps

Caveman

climber

Cumberland Plateau

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:22pm PT

"It's clear the Park Service believes in the survival of the fittest."

There should be fences at the top of every precipice. This was actually suggested by a Chattanooga news anchor after a death at one of the crags here. :)

climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:27pm PT

Build the Wall!!

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:38pm PT

The main problem is a relatively flat and short approach trail with no exposure, to instant serious exposure. I suspect that if people have to earn the vista with an arduous approach, they are more mindful and attuned to their physical reality.

edit: I have no idea of the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, and my response both minimized the loss and was disrespectful to the people involved. I should spend more time thinking and empathizing, and less time typing.

couchmaster

climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 05:57pm PT

With all due respect to the above posters trying to be funny or clever: ^^please don't make light of others pain and loss. ^^ Please. Changing of posts is available......

There needs to be no additional fences and signs. Last time I was up at Yosemite Falls, hot July day, there were folks all over walking past the many obvious "DANGER THERE IS A CLIFF RIGHT BELOW YOU, THE BOTTOM OF THE STREAM IS SLICK WITH ALGAE AND YOU WILL WASH OVER THE CLIFF AND DIE IF YOU GO IN" types of signs one had to nearly trip over to get in the water. Same with Nevada Falls where they do have a rail to keep folks out. Yet the water was both tempting and still full of idiots both locations. They were looking right at the signs while in the water. How would you fence off the whole stream? How could you fence off a whole cliff? Would this fence go from North Dome gully past Washington Column over to El Cap? Would climbers need to register to climb over this fence at the top of Serenity Crack and Royal Arches as they top out to go do Crest Jewel?

I was at a local cliff when SAR came up to train. I was by myself at a lonely spot so I welcomed the company. I asked if they had many call outs recently. "Yup, all the time". Came the shocking response. I hadn't heard about any of this and I'm fairly well connected in the climbing community. "Oh yeah, we just carried a diseased couple out not far from here". I'm thinking WTF? I asked about and it turns out that a couple had parked their car, walked @ 1/4 mile straight out the trail (it was a new trail local folks were putting in without permission) to the top of a waterfall and they jumped off the cliff together. They are pretty sure it was intentional, suicide, he explained to me.

When I go there now and hike the trail, and I do it a lot as it's is now hands down the best loop trail in the area, I reflect on the pain that life can bring us that would cause a young couple to do such a thing. I don't have n answer, but I could hope that things like folks comments above, which they think are flippant and funny, not add to the heavy burden life puts on some of us.

My best wishes to all, and especially to the late family and friends who will no doubt be in extreme pain over this.

skywalker1

Trad climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 06:04pm PT

^^^ Agree. Admittedly I had a close call after climbing Ruper? In Eldo and was chillin on the edge and stood up too fast? caught a shoelace and barely caught my balance. I walked straight into the woods. I won't forget it. And won't pass judgment.

Condolences....

S....

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Oct 25, 2018 - 07:19pm PT

We don't need more guardrails....where do you draw the line? It's a NP which is dedicated to preserve the natural world. Enter at your own risk...a risk probably less than running across a city street to catch a bus.

clinker

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, California

Oct 25, 2018 - 08:13pm PT

Trippy.

OnsightOrGoHome

Trad climber

Fair Oaks

Oct 25, 2018 - 08:47pm PT

Some locations should have railing (Glacier Point overlook) and some shouldn't (Half Dome). Each individual national park needs to decide which experience level of patrons they want to provide access to the park's natural features, and to what level of safety is appropriate for those patrons. There will always be those that venture beyond their safety net, no matter the safety features put in place, including climbers.

As I keep a watchful eye on my boys, I let them venture close to their safety net, but I'm sure to reign them back when they're pushing their luck. Most people don't have enough experience in such places to know the dangers present and their limitations to remain safe.

Climbers are only a small segment of the national park's patrons. Luckily, there's always many places beyond the masses to go and get lost if you want to. Considering this, I think I'll go get lost this weekend :).

dirtbag

climber

Oct 25, 2018 - 09:23pm PT

+1 couchmaster

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

ne'er–do–well

Oct 25, 2018 - 10:35pm PT

The theory that they were selfie-ing is pretty far fetched.
Double suicide more likely.

Jon Beck

Trad climber

Oceanside

Oct 29, 2018 - 10:42pm PT

Selfie theory might be correct

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-yosemite-taft-point-deaths-20181029-story.html?outputType=amp

]In March, Moorthy posted a photo of herself on Instagram, sitting on a cliff at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in a shirt that said “Sunset Chaser.” In the caption, she wrote about the dangers of taking dramatic “daredevilry” photos for likes on social media.

“A lot of us including yours truly is a fan of daredevilry attempts of standing at the edge of cliffs and skyscrapers, but did you know that wind gusts can be FATAL???” Moorthy wrote. “Is our life just worth one photo?”