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Wow. Really glad they both didn't go over the falls.

I was at the top of Nevada Falls a couple years ago and we saw a backpack floating down and over the falls quickly with the current... and a minute later a lady came rushing down asking if we saw it... and we all had, but none of us were about to risk our lives for a backpack. She looked kind of irked that nobody attempted to get it, but if you know the power of rushing water, it would've foolish to go after it, even though it did have her car keys in it (and we didn't know that at the time, and that wouldn't have made me go after it).

After that incident, I thought that the park service ought to mount a life-saver attached to a rope up there to rescue people just in case. It would've been so easy for someone to act quickly without thinking and go after that backpack and get caught in the current. A circular lifesaver attached to a rope might not be able to help a person in distress everytime, but it could be the difference between life & death for someone, whether at Vernal Falls or Nevada Falls.

395guy wrote: A circular lifesaver attached to a rope might not be able to help a person in distress everytime, but it could be the difference between life & death for someone, whether at Vernal Falls or Nevada Falls.

That's an idea. I wonder how effective it would be / feasible it would be to get one in place?

Not too many people will be able to hold the rope with someone attacked to it in swift water. In the swift water rescue classes, it is taught never tie a rope to the rescuer because the water will keep them under and no one is strong enough to pull them back. Once you loose footing, you are taught to release the loop in the rope and float on down. It is all about the surface area (your body) which the water is pushing against. Just is a crappy situation for all involved even when some of the people have the right training.

Wow, that heppened only a week after I was there! They really need to put up a sign there or something because people are just not careful enough and underestimate the power of the water.

BriannaNicole wrote:They really need to put up a sign there or something because people are just not careful enough and underestimate the power of the water.

Yes, people underestimate, but I don't think more signs will help.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9v2D_S2F2c[/youtube]

IMHO, having too many signs just:
a) Conditions people to ignore signs
b) Gives folks a false sense of security when there is no sign.

Most everyone enjoys a happy ending... especially one that involves true heroism. I too like the idea of ready life preservers attached to ropes.

BriannaNicole wrote:They really need to put up a sign there or something because people are just not careful enough and underestimate the power of the water.

This may seem harsh (warning: politically incorrect), but the first rule of Natural Law is: survival of the fittest. If one does not possess the common sense to realize that entering swift-moving water near the edge of a tall waterfall is potentially fatal, maybe they are too inept at self preservation to be allowed near one. No?

Agreed. Someone standing next to that irked lady at the top of Nevada Falls should have pushed her in and told her to go get her backpack herself.

What we need are fewer signs and rails and the like along the trails.

I'll be there this weekend, I'll get photos of all the idiots I can at the falls ............Hopefully someone else isn't doing the same and taking my photo.

Marmaduke wrote:I'll be there this weekend, I'll get photos of all the idiots I can at the falls ............Hopefully someone else isn't doing the same and taking my photo.

You may have missed a good opportunity yesterday (5/5) at LYF when a group of boy scouts decided to hike beyond the end of the trail determined to climb upstream over huge slippery boulders to "stand beneath the falls". The parents and scoutmaster had been temporarily distracted by the scenery, but the boys didn't get very far before they were noticed and very loudly recalled back to the trail by the adults. (They hadn't gotten very far.)

Confession:
It was my son's troop and I was one of the distracted adults.

Their punishment:
Being forced to pose endlessly for many many pictures. :

Our punishment:
Fighting Valley traffic on a warm Sunday in the spring- our cars full of loud rowdy kids.
But... it could have been a lot worse.

boyblue wrote:

Marmaduke wrote:I'll be there this weekend, I'll get photos of all the idiots I can at the falls ............Hopefully someone else isn't doing the same and taking my photo.

You may have missed a good opportunity yesterday (5/5) at LYF when a group of boy scouts decided to hike beyond the end of the trail determined to climb upstream over huge slippery boulders to "stand beneath the falls". The parents and scoutmaster had been temporarily distracted by the scenery, but the boys didn't get very far before they were noticed and very loudly recalled back to the trail by the adults. (They hadn't gotten very far.)

Confession:
It was my son's troop and I was one of the distracted adults.

Their punishment:
Being forced to pose endlessly for many many pictures. :

Troop186atLYF.jpg

Our punishment:
Fighting Valley traffic on a warm Sunday in the spring- our cars full of loud rowdy kids.
But... it could have been a lot worse.

Looks like that grizzly on the left got ahold of a boy scout uniform........

WyomingSummits wrote:Looks like that grizzly on the left got ahold of a boy scout uniform........

Yeah.... there could be one or two scouts in there too!

He's a great guy and the kids love him. I like standing next to him since that's the only time I feel skinny.