Disasters are a part of Zion National Park's history

[Iceaxe]

Disasters are a part of Zion National Park's history
The Salt Lake Tribune

The history of Zion National Park is replete with disasters, both natural and human-caused. Among the most notable:

Construction of the 1.1-mile tunnel in Zion began in Nov. 11 1927 and claimed two lives by the time it was dedicated on July 4, 1930, said park spokesman Ron Terry. One worker was crushed on an unknown date when pinned by a sandstone boulder against a piece of machinery and on July 1, 1928 another man was killed by breathing in a combination of dust, sand and dynamite fumes.

In September 1961, 26 people were caught in a flash flood in the Zion Narrows; five of them were killed.

On the morning of Sept. 2, 1992, the park was jolted by a 5.9 earthquake that cracked some foundations, knocked down power lines in the park and destroyed three houses in the neighboring city of Springdale. Landslides from the quake also temporarily closed the park entrance before the Labor Day weekend when debris blocked state Route 9.

In 1993, two adult scout leaders died when they became trapped in Zion's Kolob Canyon during a hike through frigid waters.

A 12-year-old California boy slipped on some algae in a small streamlet on the Emerald Pools trail in the spring of 1997. He fell on his stomach and began sliding toward a 100-foot cliff, where he fell to his death. Three other young men plunged to their deaths in the same location in 1968, 1983 and 1984.

While hiking the Narrows in 1998, two people were killed in a flash flood. In 2001, a flash flood washed away a 10-year-old boy on the Canyon Overlook trail .

Backcountry ranger Ray O'Neil said two to three people die every year in the park, most from falls from the towering sandstone cliffs. Among the deadliest is the park's most popular hike at Angel's landing, where four have people died in the past 10 years. Among them was a 53-year-old Missouri man who fell 1,000 feet to his death in 2007. In 2006, a Las Vegas woman fell 1,300 feet from the popular trail and in 2004, a scout fell to his death while climbing down to a dangerous spot to carve his name.

Climbing has also claimed victims, such as the California man who was rappelling in Heaps canyon in 2007 when his rappel system failed. A 38-year-old Provo man also was killed while rappelling during a solo climb of Angel's landing.

http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_12513410

[RedMan]

Very dangerous place. We should close it off, put a nice big fence around it.

[ratagonia]

Disasters are a part of Zion National Park's history
The Salt Lake Tribune

The history of Zion National Park is replete with disasters, both natural and human-caused. Among the most notable:

While hiking the Narrows in 1998, two people were killed in a flash flood.

http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_12513410

Yeah, nice mangling on the English Language. "Disaster"? Ha.

Two lads from California hiked into the Narrows to take pictures of the Anticipated Flash Flood. Bodies found several days later. Hardly a disaster!

Tom

[Iceaxe]

I saved the original newspaper stories from several of these "Disasters" if anyone is interested in reading them.

http://climb-utah.com/Zion/flash_zion.htm

Enjoy

[Deathcricket]

Meh... Out of 2.5 millions people people visiting a place 2 or 3 die? I bet more people die in cars traveling to Zion than once inside it. And like the emperor is saying. I bet a lot of these deaths are "Darwin incidents" aka "people being stooopid".

Wasn't the girl who fell off angel's landing pushed by her husband? Maybe I'm thinking os someone else.

[James_B_Wads2000]

In 1993, two adult scout leaders died when they became trapped in Zion's Kolob Canyon during a hike through frigid waters.

This was my scout troop. I wasn

[ratagonia]

[quote=James_B_Wads2000]

In 1993, two adult scout leaders died when they became trapped in Zion's Kolob Canyon during a hike through frigid waters.

This was my scout troop. I wasn

[James_B_Wads2000]

Yeah, classic Darwin incident on that one. Perhaps I be crass, but at least the Reaper tagged the adult leaders, and not the kids.

Yeah it is easier for you to be crass because you don

[Deathcricket]

Was this the one where the dude tossed his pack into a swirling vortex of doom connected to a rope. He then couldn't pull it out by hand so decided to jump in and try to retrieve it himself?

That's a classic and definitely qualifies as a Darwin move.

Edit : Found it on Ice's awesome site

http://climb-utah.com/Zion/kolob1.htm

From the rim of the falls, Fleischer tested the force of the whirlpool at its base. He tied a rope to his pack and tossed the pack into the pool. The pack got sucked under and could not be pulled free. Fleischer decided he had to free the pack. He intended to swim the pack to shore where it could serve as a safety anchor for the others. He leaped in, and just when it seemed he had everything under control, the pack slipped and the current sucked him under. There was a long moment as the others stared down into the churning torrent. Fleischer never reappear.

[Iceaxe]

Edit : Found it on Ice's awesome site

http://climb-utah.com/Zion/kolob1.htm

Because of that article I've had 5 of the kids (who are now adults) and the copter pilot contact me and tell me their personal stories of that disaster. Also taked with a couple of other SAR guys.

Very interesting stuff....

[ratagonia]

[quote=James_B_Wads2000]

It

[ratagonia]

[quote=James_B_Wads2000]
Yeah it is easier for you to be crass because you don

[ratagonia]

[quote=James_B_Wads2000]
It

[Sombeech]

Which was worse, seeing your dad die in front of you, or, a few years later figuring out that your dad was not brave, valiant or visionary, but was in fact a complete idiot?

ouch

[James_B_Wads2000]

I said

[RedMan]

Please provide me with more details so that I can shit on their memories. Gawd get over yourself.


James

I with James on this one. This was an awful tragedy and whatever you think happened sitting in your armchair you have no right to piss on the memory of these men. Its a true shame you are completely incapable of relating a "lessons learned" scenario without being an asshat.

[Sombeech]

Imagine not belonging to a forum full of "professionals" to give you exact details on what to do in certain situations.

Imagine trying to be safe, evaluating the situation, and doing what you thought was the best decision in a tense situation.

And then you make a mistake and die, and the "professionals" call you a dipshit and don't give a rat's ass if your children ever read about it.

Sorry guys, the dude wasn't as awesome as some of you are, and made a mistake. I classify him as "not a dipshit".

[ratagonia]

Imagine not belonging to a forum full of "professionals" to give you exact details on what to do in certain situations.

Imagine trying to be safe, evaluating the situation, and doing what you thought was the best decision in a tense situation.

And then you make a mistake and die, and the "professionals" call you a dipshit and don't give a rat's ass if your children ever read about it.

Sorry guys, the dude wasn't as awesome as some of you are, and made a mistake. I classify him as "not a dipshit".

Read the story, do Kolob. You will understand, the guy was a danger to himself and others. And a bully. If it is still available, the extensive story on High Country News is really good. He broke rule #2. Dipshit.

T

[Bo_Beck]

Disasters are a part of Zion National Park's history
The Salt Lake Tribune

The history of Zion National Park is replete with disasters, both natural and human-caused. Among the most notable:

While hiking the Narrows in 1998, two people were killed in a flash flood.

http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_12513410

Yeah, nice mangling on the English Language. "Disaster"? Ha.

Two lads from California hiked into the Narrows to take pictures of the Anticipated Flash Flood. Bodies found several days later. Hardly a disaster!

Tom

I'm guessing that if looked at in the context that it may have been or had disastrous affects for their families and friends, it might be considered a disaster? Just a thought?

[James_B_Wads2000]

I with James on this one. Its a true shame you are completely incapable of relating a "lessons learned" scenario without being an asshat.

I think you are dead in the water on this one Tom. You must be pretty high up on your horse if you can get RedMan to agree with me. I am know that RedMan hates me so much that he would punch me in the face if we ever met. He siding with me speaks volumes to your douche-ness.

For your great achievement as a Bogley asshat, you will be officially added to the list:
Link


James