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Bodies found: Yosemite Hikers Swept Over Falls.
#16587 07/19/11 08:45 PM
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wagga Offline OP
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Vernal Falls. Details here.

"Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said Tuesday that emergency services received "multiple calls" about one or more hikers going into the water and over the 317-foot Vernal Falls on the Merced River at around 1 p.m."

Last edited by Steve C; 12/05/11 01:10 PM. Reason: Change title

Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
wagga #16600 07/20/11 09:57 AM
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It now seems there were three hikers. They climbed over the metal fence.

"Witnesses told rangers that several people urged the group to get out of the cold, fast-moving water, but the three were swept over the 317-foot falls."


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
wagga #16603 07/20/11 10:05 AM
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"they climbed over a metal guardrail"

Sheesh! If they were over the guardrail, they were really close to the top of the falls!

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Steve C #16608 07/20/11 10:59 AM
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There are no new accidents, only new victims.

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Harvey Lankford #16611 07/20/11 11:34 AM
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Oh my gosh. I just read in the Sac Bee that the man and woman were holding each other tightly as they went over the edge. I feel so sorry for the people who witnessed this. **shudder**

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
gTy #16614 07/20/11 12:13 PM
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Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Fishmonger #16616 07/20/11 12:43 PM
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wagga Offline OP
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Our Governor is (was) in the area. Read to the end of this article to find out that politics stink.

"Brown will be glad to know that he managed to avoid a big stink at the Capitol by being in the mountains. Literally."


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
gTy #16623 07/20/11 02:33 PM
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I am glad you posted something expressing sadness versus the judgemental "absolutely avoidable". Can we not express sadness first over a tragic dealth of multiple people instead of judgement over making a bad mistake?

At the end of the day, many of us die from something "absolutely avoidable", be it the things we have taken into our bodies over our lifetime, lifestyle, behavior, or G-d forbid, making an error in judgement such as this. I just had to throw this in as I have seen multiple examples, in other blogs over tragic deaths, of judgemental types throwing in their two cents without ever taking a moment to grieve in some manner for the lives lost.

Imagine people commenting over their own "absolutely avoidable" car accident that was a result of them texting while driving,and people wagging their finger at them instead of being sad. Oy.


Thanks!

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
wagga #16624 07/20/11 02:34 PM
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wagga Offline OP
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Here is some more detail:

"Bibee, of Angels Camp, described a chaotic scene when he and a friend hiked to the top of Vernal Falls Tuesday.

At first he saw a man on the far side of a safety railing next to the 317-foot falls holding a screaming girl while another young girl took their photograph.

Two others in their party then crossed the barricade to pose for photos on a rock 50 feet upstream from the falls. He said the woman on the rock slipped and the man fell in trying to reach her. Another woman also fell in trying to stop them.
"

Last edited by wagga; 07/20/11 02:36 PM.

Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
wagga #16626 07/20/11 03:15 PM
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wagga Offline OP
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A relevant video. Sorry about the short ad.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
DudimusMaximus #16629 07/20/11 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: DudimusMaximus
I am glad you posted something expressing sadness versus the judgemental "absolutely avoidable". Can we not express sadness first over a tragic dealth of multiple people instead of judgement over making a bad mistake?

At the end of the day, many of us die from something "absolutely avoidable", be it the things we have taken into our bodies over our lifetime, lifestyle, behavior, or G-d forbid, making an error in judgement such as this. I just had to throw this in as I have seen multiple examples, in other blogs over tragic deaths, of judgemental types throwing in their two cents without ever taking a moment to grieve in some manner for the lives lost.

Imagine people commenting over their own "absolutely avoidable" car accident that was a result of them texting while driving,and people wagging their finger at them instead of being sad. Oy.


Thanks!


Search engines as they are will direct everyone anywhere that the topic is active, so that the family & friends of the victims may be reading our forum.


The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Bee #16633 07/20/11 06:27 PM
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Just so I get the 'rules' right. It's OK to be judgmental about someones post, and not about someones (stupid)actions. BTW, not to be too judgmental myself, but, you failed to express sadness in your post. I guess you were too busy telling the other guy how to think.
Could you please post the official 'don't be judgmental (except for you)rules'. Can you also include when and how to appropriately express "sadness" for those of us who were absent that day.


Last edited by Migolito; 07/20/11 06:29 PM.
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Migolito #16634 07/20/11 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: Migolito
Just so I get the 'rules' right. It's OK to be judgmental about someones post, and not about someones (stupid)actions. BTW, not to be too judgmental myself, but, you failed to express sadness in your post. I guess you were too busy telling the other guy how to think.
Could you please post the official 'don't be judgmental (except for you)rules'. Can you also include when and how to appropriately express "sadness" for those of us who were absent that day.



Try here:
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/122/Forum_Rules_and_Guidelines#Post122


Mike
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Mike Condron #16641 07/20/11 09:40 PM
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Quote:
Two others in their party then crossed the barricade to pose for photos on a rock 50 feet upstream from the falls. He said the woman on the rock slipped and the man fell in trying to reach her. Another woman also fell in trying to stop them.


So it was a seemingly harmless daredevil picture pose, followed by a single slip. How quickly something fun can become tragic!!!

The families and friends of these people must be feeling terrible shock.

Heart wrenching.

I myself have jumped over that railing to get a cup of water or take a picture. I'll sure think twice next time!

There have been several deaths this summer from practically the same scenario -- someone slipping and then being swept away by the current to their death. Water is fun to be near, and so dangerous at the same time.

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Steve C #16650 07/21/11 08:29 AM
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Oh, don't worry. This story has been picked up by every paper and blog in the country. Check out the 112 comments in the LA Times story:

http://discussions.latimes.com/20/lanews/la-me-0721-yosemite-plunge-20110721/10

Some of my favorites:

"Yes, accept that now the unfortuante and innocent Vernal Falls will be punished."

"The accident, this, and the accident that. What the heck is an accident and how does the word / term apply here?"

"However, the man cited as holding a child is guilty of child abuse."

"Ignoring posted signs and repeated warnings, they had climbed over the metal-bar barricade to get in the Merced River about 25 feet from the edge of the falls."

Darwin 3, God 0."

"I think a lot of the tendancy to villify the victims comes from anger that they would be so stupid as to needlessly die like that AND in the process sear the memory of their deaths into the minds of innocent witnesses who implored them to get out of the water. Thanks to their truly stupid, foolish, selfish, mindless behavior there are plenty of victims to go around beyond the immediate families. There's no way to put a pretty face on this. When you make a truly fatal choice where there are signs in seven languages advising you not to, you're going to get ridiculed. It pisses people off that you would waste your life in such a fashion. Not to mention endanger a child who has no choice in the matter. These are clearly people who can learn only one way: from direct experience. They won't be crossing barriers around waterfalls, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if some part of their group ignores some other warning some other time with the same results."

"I was there when this happened. Though I did not directly witness the accident, most of the eyewitness accounts stated the inane behavior of this group. Most of the people who saw the accident were very incensed at the man who was dangling his little girl over the edge of the very scary drop that is Vernal Falls."

"I'm retired from the Coast Guard Reserve, and I remember too many weekends going after too many people that go past signs and climb over fences to their death.

I don't know if it's hubris or naivete, but it kills them dead.

One of the most effective deterrents has been to place memorial plaques at the sights listing the names and dates of those lost going past the warnings and barriers.

Perhaps the National Park Service will give it a try..."

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Ken #16658 07/21/11 09:35 AM
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A lot of information in this thread, particularly the latter;

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1558191/Almost-inevitable-over-Vernal-Falls-again

Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Steve C #16659 07/21/11 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
...There have been several deaths this summer from practically the same scenario -- someone slipping and then being swept away by the current...


It seems to me that these church group outings need a session in:

Accountability -- case in point the Upper Yosemite Falls incident
Supervision -- as in the tragic deaths of the three individuals

The WHA has conducted Mt. Whitney presentations at REI Fresno to alert people to the dangers of hiking Mt. Whitney. I feel that the WHA should step up to meet with church officials who plan outings in YNP or any NP and to advise them and to remind them of the hazards.

We, the WHA here in the San Joaquin Valley, need to get involved. I don't want to get into the "legality" issues, but "the word" needs to get out to the churches who plan these events during the summer when school is not in session.

I, for one, will be more than happy to put together some sort of slideshow to present to these organizations free of charge.

A family friend of ours sent me a link to video from the Modesto Bee. Let the finger pointing begin! Guess which direction is the "one" finger pointing? The NPS. I am always reminded, that whenever I point a finger at someone, I have three pointing back.

I am off my dais now...


Journey well...
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
+ @ti2d #16662 07/21/11 04:42 PM
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wagga Offline OP
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An entire book has been written about deaths in Yosemite. It has a chapter devoted to waterfall falls. Reviews at Amazon. And another take on it here.


Verum audaces non gerunt indusia alba. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII
Re: Yosemite Rangers Fear Hikers Swept Over Falls.
Fishmonger #16670 07/22/11 05:46 AM
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Originally Posted By: Fishmonger

Gosh, where have I seen this sign? Now, I remember...let's see...German, Spanish, French, Japanese...oh, English!

Back on the dais...

It is like the "wet paint" sign on a wall or railing...it was put up there for a purpose, yet a few will actually go to the railing or wall to verify it is wet.

How many times have we been told or we have told our children "not to do that" we/they proceeded on to suffer the consequences...large or small...but we lived to tell about it.

When my wife and I hike, we can't help but notice of a select few who dare. My wife and I, along with her cousin and her husband, went up to Upper Yosemite Falls. Sure nuff, three people climbed over the railing just to get a better picture of the waterfalls. I told them, "To get there g*dd*mn asses back over here or you will die!" I pointed out the rock formation was not stable to support any more weight. They jumped back over like grasshopers! Whether or not my statement was true didn't matter. It was the thunder of my voice and the "look."

My condolences to the families...

Off my dais...


Journey well...
Third body found below Vernal Fall
wagga #20110 12/05/11 01:08 PM
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Many news sources are reporting this... Likely the end of a sad story.

From the Washington Post:

3rd body found in Yosemite's Merced River could be last of hikers swept over waterfall

By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, December 5, 12:34 PM

Quote:
FRESNO, Calif. — Officials on Monday identified a body found in the Merced River as one of three young people swept over a waterfall last summer in Yosemite National Park. Click this link for the full article...



Here's a picture from a CBS News article, Third body found in Yosemite waterfall tragedy
December 5, 2011 3:12 PM


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