Tragedy at the Waterfalls

Going to trial can be like walking on the brink of a waterfall. I thought of this today as I was climbing boulders in Yosemite National Park to get to the base of a waterfall. It began with a short hike to the viewpoint for Bridal Veil Falls. At that point many people scramble up the boulder strewn creek bed below the falls trying to reach the base of the falls.

Yosemite warning re dangerous rocks approaching Bridal Veil Falls waterfall
Yosemite warning re dangerous rocks approaching Bridal Veil Falls waterfall
DANGER climbing and scrambling on rocks and cliffs is dangerous they are slick wet or dry many injuries and fatalities have occurred
Close up of the sign

Most who begin the climb turn back without finishing. This is because they slip and slide on the water polished surface of the boulders. For hundreds of years the creek’s eroding flow has polished the boulders’ surface so they have little traction for even rubber bottomed shoes to grip. Imagine trying to ascend an ice-covered slope and you get an idea of the intimidation factor in scrambling over these boulders. I accomplished the climb by choosing a route that offered the greatest traction and because I had spent some of my youth in the Alps rock climbing.

Tragedy taught me to be wary of waterfalls.

When I was eleven years old, and not old enough to be a boy scout, the scoutmaster in my boy scout troop died while on a boy scout hike because he did not appreciate the danger that waterfalls pose. The outing was a typical weekend “overnighter.” The scout troop departed the scoutmaster’s home Friday in the late afternoon and planned to return Saturday afternoon. The scout master was the only adult, and five scouts crowded into his car with their backpacks. They drove to the mountains above our town, parked the car, and began the planned three mile hike.

The route took the group across a small stream in Farmington Canyon at a point where the stream went over a waterfall of no great consequence. As the scouts were crossing the stream near the brink of the waterfall, the young scoutmaster stood on the verge of the falls to insure that none of the scouts ventured too close to the edge. Unfortunately, the scoutmaster apparently did not understand that the stones at the verge of the falls are polished to a near glass-like smoothness by the water rushing over the falls, and he slipped from his position and fell over the falls, landing in knee-deep water.

The group of scouts rushed to help their scoutmaster. He was still conscious and told them, “Don’t move me. I’ve broken my back.” The scouts followed orders so he lay in very cold, snow melt water at the base of the falls.

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