Very Sad: Yosemite National Park Searches For Hikers, Feared Swept Over Falls

[FourScore]

Yosemite National Park Searches For Hikers, Feared Swept Over Falls
First Posted: 7/20/11 10:46 AM ET Updated: 7/20/11 12:20 PM ET

Park officials began a search at Yosemite National Park on Tuesday afternoon for hikers who may have been swept over the park's falls.

According to the Associated Press, Yosemite officials received multiple emergency calls on Tuesday from witnesses who saw one or more hikers go into the water and over Vernal Falls, which is 317 feet high. At the top of the path to Vernal Falls, a guardrail seperates Yosemite visitors from the water, and yet accounts suggest that 13 people have fallen over and died since records began...

SNIP

...Witness Jacob Bibee told CNN affiliate KGPE-TV, “I saw the man’s eyes when he went over the falls. That was devastating."

Witness Dean Sabo told KGPE, “I saw two that were holding each other and one that was floating alone through the water. And the reason that I looked was because this woman was screaming, running along the edge of the water."

NBC Fresno affiliate KSEE reports that, according to witnesses, a man and woman climbed over the guardrail for a better view, and possibly encouraged their children to go over as well. The man and woman began to slip before the children climbed over. Another man jumped over the guardrail to help, but also fell over the edge, KSEE reports...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/20/yosemite-national-park-hiker-falls_n_904390.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. That is sad.

So sad.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. Guard rails = not a suggestion.

And they took a non-stupid down with them: "Another man jumped over the guardrail to help, but also fell over the edge."

[kestrel91316]

3. The adults involved get Darwin Awards for climbing over the guardrail.

The children involved are basically murder victims, or at the least, victims of parental abuse/neglect/child endangerment.

[Paka]

6. Merci, kestrel. Darwin Award candidate indeed!

It is the children, whether watching or dying with them, that I cry for. :cry:

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Why would anybody climb over a guardrail, ignoring the warning signs, and urge others to follow?

[begin_within]

5. Here are photos of the area and the signs:

[Crabby Appleton]

7. Here's a youtube video of the falls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQpHGO9CQf0

[Raine]

8. GUARD rails are there for a reason

DUH :silly: what in the world do people think those rails are there for.

[malaise]

9. Well I hope they got the pic

Give them the Darwin award - not everyone should be a parent

[kwassa]

10. I've been at Vernal Falls several times, and it is not as clear as you might think.

I love Vernal Falls, it is spectacular, the climb up there is wonderful.

What you don't see in previously posted pictures is that there is an area further above the falls that is relatively flat with water flowing over rocks that is absolutely beautiful. There are no guardrails there. The water feeding into the Merced is crystal clear, too, fed by melting snow of the Sierras. I and my friends climbed around in this area, and many, many other people do, too. Here is a picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beautythief/4765071202/

I have also been to many other national parks, where there are warnings to not go past the posted sign, yet one can't seen the big view if they don't. I have a photo of such a sign with hundreds of people behind it admiring the view.

[begin_within]

11. But that area is closed as well.

The sign clearly states that swimming or wading is prohibited in the Emerald Pool and on the Silver Apron.

[Raine]

12. I was at the ruins of Sutro Baths up in San Francisco

they have big signs to stay off of the rock ruins that so and so many people have been swept to their deaths. Yet there was people out there with their kids and their dogs just scampering on those rocks. :wow: