Yosemite: A Cautionary Tale

Back in the heydays of SNL, Dan Aykroyd portrayed the survivor of a bear attack at an unnamed national park. This fictional skit of an inane talk show displayed Dan's horrible scars and profound facial disfigurement. When questioned by the host as to how he had sustained his awful injuries, he responded that he had attempted to feed a bear a Twinkie. Dan demonstrated by placing a Twinkie in his mouth and showed how he then had coaxed a bear to come in get it. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure what had happened to this mindless moron. The bit was good for a lot of laughs. Sadly, this long ago parody has been mirrored by recent, real life tragedies in many U.S. National Parks specifically, Yosemite Park in California. Quoting from AP, “Fourteen people have died so far this year; including three who were swept over Vernal Fall two weeks ago while taking photographs upstream in the Merced River. In 2007, seven people were killed at the park, the most in any recent year until this one. One factor in the high number of deaths is a record snowfall that has created treacherous snowmelt, swelling streams and rivers at a time of year when nature in Yosemite is supposed to be relatively tranquil.” This past Sunday, a 26 year-old woman fell 600 feet to her death while attempting to climb the slippery granite walls of Half Dome in a thunderstorm. The three hikers, who were swept over Vernal Fall, scaled a barricade, ignored warning signs and went INTO an apparently calm pool of water in the river to snap some photos. They were unaware of the swift current below the surface. All three lost their footing on slippery rocks and were swept over the falls to their deaths. Their bodies have been claimed by the violent torrents of the Merced River and have yet to be recovered.
My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who have perished, but the majority of these deaths were totally preventable if only good common sense had been practiced. Yosemite is one my favorite places on earth. Its beauty is unparalleled on the globe. My family and I have been there many times during all four seasons. Summer crowds in Yosemite are comparable to Disneyland, but that is where the similarity ends. Regrettably, many tourists think they are at the Magic Kingdom and underestimate the power of Mother Nature. Lack of preparation, improper or insufficient gear, disregard of weather reports and warning signs, and veering off the marked trail can lead to tragedy. While Grizzly Peaks at Disney’s California Adventure may provide safe, simulated cheap thrills of river rafting, the rapids of the Merced River may appear benign, but can be deadly. Please be safe, be smart, and be prepared. Give the rocks, rivers and mountains of our great national parks the respect they deserve. The greatest photo ever shot is not worth a human life.