Over The Edge, 2014

[cactuscat]

We had our first visitor of the season go over the edge today. Apparently he climbed over the retaining wall near the flagpole behind El Tovar to take a photo ... he fell and died. No details yet.
Last week we had the 59 year old Coloradan die of a heart attack at the South Entrance ... before that we had bones discovered near the Hermit Creek drainage that are thought to be of a Tucson man missing for several years ... and a couple months ago, the woman killed in an auto accident while her driver was speeding on the icy South Entrance Road.
And so the season has officially begun ... be careful out there, folks!

[big_load]

That's too many, too soon.

[azbackpackr]

Who was the Tucson man? There was also a Tucson man lost on Mount Baldy in the White Mountains a couple of summers ago. There was a reward if you found his remains. I never did go look, but I heard that a lot of people were out there last summer, when the reward went to $20K. Come to think of it, this dry winter would have been a good time to look. There was a considerable period of time when there was no snow up there.

[cactuscat]

@azbackpackr
ISB is not releasing the name pending DNA confirmation ... but the man they think it is, is a homeless man who went missing from Tucson in 2010.

[writelots]

@cactuscat
As I was climbing out on BA trail on the 11th, I watched a young lady climb out on a scary ledge for a photo (one past the "Dangerous Cliff" sign). When she went to stand up, she lost her balance a little and teetered toward the 50' drop in front of her. I thought about how awful it would be to witness one of these "canyon" deaths - I can't even imagine how devastating it would be.

[cactuscat]

@writelots
I see people go out there all the time! Once it was a guy I had a friendly chat with on the way up - I scolded him pretty good for going out there ... mentioned that even if he didn't fall, maybe someone who saw him and decided to go out as well would - then my friends would have to risk their lives to try to rescue them or recover their body ... thinking of it that way really makes me mad!
Also, people fall that way often - sitting on edge, then lose their balance as they stand up. I always scoot back from the edge a bit before I stand.

[Hippy]

he climbed over the retaining wall near the flagpole behind El Tovar to take a photo ... he fell and died

the start of the local's only "Flagpole Route", it's so sad how these things happen in such safe areas.
thanks for the updates Cat!

[kingsnake]

Personally, I stay far away from edges ...

[Uberdroog]

Personally, I stay far away from edges ...

I'm with you on that one.

Being terrified of heights helps too. One day I will test a the Canyon...

[azbackpackr]

@Uberdroog
Hiking down the Bright Angel trail would be a good start. Not scary at all.

[garyc57]

Not scary at all.

If I may jump in... My wife (as a 20ish college student) hiked down Bright Angel to the river and back (with an overnight stay) as part of her geology class. A few years ago, as a 50ish mother of 8, we took a few steps down Bright Angel, she immediately started getting vertigo, and we stopped and retreated to the rim.

It's interesting how time changes things.

[Hippy]

http://www.nps.gov/grca/parknews/fatali ... tified.htm

Our 2nd loss from the rim happened a few days ago...

I was at the visitor center when this happened, I could hear the shouts from the flagpole my coworker was having lunch near Mather Pt and witnessed it, he called NPS dispatch in a state of shock.

It was only 2 days before that I made sure all my coworkers had the 2 main emergency numbers in their cell phones!!

[Sredfield]

Was it a fall?

[azbackpackr]

They never will tell you in the news release if it was an accidental fall or suicide.

[hippiepunkpirate]

@Sredfield
Word on the street is that it was a suicide, but I'm making no guarantees on it.

[azbackpackr]

It is just so very sad. I feel bad for her and her family.
http://azstarnet.com/lifestyles/announc ... 43796.html

[te_wa]

If I may jump in... My wife (as a 20ish college student) hiked down Bright Angel to the river and back (with an overnight stay) as part of her geology class. A few years ago, as a 50ish mother of 8, we took a few steps down Bright Angel, she immediately started getting vertigo, and we stopped and retreated to the rim.

naw, man. the canyon just got deeper.
by a millimeter, but still... lol

im not a fan of heights either. no rock climbing for me.