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Fatal Fall from Angels Landing in Zion National Park

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Angels landing

Angels Landing in Zion National Park. NPS Photo.

A California woman died in a fall Sunday from the popular site in Zion National Park known as Angels Landing.

The victim, 55-year-old Nancy Maltez of Glendora, California, was reported to be hiking with family members early Sunday when she fell at about 8:30 a.m. The accident was reported by another hiker by cell phone.

She was believed to have stumbled and fallen from the north side of Angels Landing. Media reports indicate she fell a distance of about 1,000 feet, and search-and-rescue crews reached her body before noon.

The West Rim Trail from the Grotto to Scout Lookout, along with climbing routes on the north side of Angels Landing, are temporarily closed while an investigation by the park and the Washington County Sheriff's Department is completed.

There has been considerable discussion on theTraveler in recent months about the safety of the Angels Landing Trail. Prior to today's incident, the most recent fatal fall at that location was in 2007.

The park website includes the following information in a description of the Angels Landing Trail:

Caution: The route to Angels Landing involves travel along a steep, narrow ridge with support chains anchored intermittently along the route. Footing can be slippery even when the rock is dry Unevenly surfaced steps are cut into the rock with major cliff dropoffs adjacent. Keep off when it is wet, icy or thunderstorms are in the area. Plan to be off before dark. Younger children should skip this trail; older children must be closely supervised.

This accident will almost certainly revive the debate about the safety of the popular trail. According to the park website, "about 5 people" have died due to falls from Angels Landing in the 100 years since the park was established, but it is not the most dangerous trail in the park. Emerald Pools holds that unwelcome distinction with seven victims.

Comments

Whether you are experienced or not, if you stumble it does not matter at that point. My sincere condolances to the family. Be strong.


I was hiking the morning this happened, you are warned about the skill level it takes to do this hike. There were many children on the hike ..It was a simple slip and fall, so you must be careful..all we need is MORE government telling us what we can and cannot do....


My wife and our two friends arrived at Scout's Landing about 45 minutes after her fall. We passed the family going back down on Walter's Wiggles but did not learn of the fall until we reached Scout's Landing. Needless to say, we did not continue up to Angel's Landing. Our heartfelt condolences goes out to Nancy and her family. This was truly a tragic accident. It made our group and many other hikers that morning keenly aware of how precious and fleeting life is.


I was there when it happened with about 8 others from my trek america group. the rock is really slick and sandy but still an easy trail. i lost footing once or twice myself and i can see how it would have happened. the worst thing was the family had to come back down. we were back from angels landing 10 minutes when other trek america members came running down saying what happened while a few others stayed behind.
condolences to the family. we had taken the free shuttle with them that morning. It's an terrible tragedy. there should be wardens on that trail. i was suprised at the single sign at the top stating that falls result in death and not much else.


We are so sorry to hear about this tragic accident, and send our condolences to this family. As avid hikers who value the unparalled access to nature that National Parks afford, we have a deep respect for Zion and other parks like it.......most of which harbor some intrinsic danger. Being "on the edge" of Nature has that inherent risk. I think the parks have the responsibility to educate all users on the possible dangers and risks, possibly even including details of recent accidents to drive home the points (as the story of the marathon hiker of the Grandview Trail in the Grand Canyon did for me), but I would regret anyone deciding whether I thought these risks were worth taking. Part of what the National Parks stand for is preservation of Freedom, and it is a profound contribution to modern life that these spaces are free for us to roam--with care and respect.


My heart goes out to the the lady who just lost her life and to her love ones. Like me, when I enter our parks, I expect she was having a good time. Sadly she will have no more tales to tell future generations. Each summer we take our grandchildren on trips which include several national parks. We get up early every day and do a lot of hiking. As for myself, I have tried two times to "hike" out on Angel's Landing. I did not go very far the first time. I was, I thought, more prepared the second attempt. With me during our second trip were my husband and three grandchildren. On this second attempt when we arrived at Scout's Landing we stopped for awhile. I had the three kids sit down to talk with them. The eldest decided not to go at all. I told the two who would join me that if I said "stop" they must stop immediately. No questions. Stop right now. I told them if I said we would need to turn around, there would not be any discussion. I laid down the rules up front. We took off all extra gear such as fanny packs, emptied pockets if need be, removed extra jackets, removed our rain/sun hats, made sure are hiking boots were tied. When we started our "hike" I was extremely slow. The two kids could have been mountain goats but they helped each other and me. We arrived at one point on the trail. I peered left. The fall would be straight down. To the right if I missed a handhold or step there would be nothing to grab going down into Refrigerator Canyon or somewhere. I did not know where I would land if I slipped. I could just see what the consequences would be. I knew I had to turn back. If I got out all of the way I still had to come back. As it was, I was slow on the short return that I did have. I felt badly that I held others back but everyone on the trail that day was extremely courteous. In this situation this is as it should be. I have some amusing, luckily not life threatening, stories of getting misplaced in the Grand Canyon. I have slipped and fallen in less lethal places. Still, I would not want to close off options for others who are more capable than I am. I am now a great grandmother and hope to show my great grandson all that I can.


Having grown up in Glendora and hiked up Angel's Landing numerous times, I was especially moved by this tragic event. Although I never met the family while we lived in Glendora, I extend my condolences to them for their loss. I can only imaging the shock and horror they must have felt to have so suddenly lost their wife and mother.

My wife was quite apprehensive the next time I hiked Angel's Landing and asked me to be extra cautious. While hiking, I did note that I'd probably been somewhat cavalier on prior trips, and paid closer attention to areas that were especially exposed. I even held on to the chain a few times, which I usually ignore.

I also question the park statistic of 5 deaths on this trail, having heard of at least 2 in the past 5 years since moving to the area. But can we put things in perspective? Even if the park service has only recorded half the deaths, say 10 accidental deaths over a period of 75 years on an very exposed trail used by thousands of people every month has got to be one of the most amazing safety records in the history of the National Park system. In comparison, I'll bet any BLM ATV playground with similar usage racks up the same number of fatalities in a single season, often involving stupidity (alcohol, unsupervised children, lack of proper safety equipment) I don't hear demands that the BLM shut down all the off road vehicle areas or continuously police these areas to enforce safety regulations.

We blithely continue to drive our vehicles despite the tens of thousands of highway related deaths every year, mostly because we've put it in proper perspective and accept the relatively small risk as worth the benefits of driving. Should we close all the beaches forever because of the miniscule risk of shark attacks? Should we close all golf courses because of the increased chance of getting struck by lightening?

A fatal fall usually occurs due to a series of unlikely events, such as lack of attention followed by slipping and completely losing one's balance while in an unrecoverable position. Even the folks that run the trail for exercise are at a heightened level of awareness when surrounded by 1,500 sheer cliffs. I know a death under these circumstances connects with us at a gut level, and I'm not opposed to the reasonable precautions that are already being made to warn people what they're getting into. I think even without the signs the risks are clear enough. I tried taking my wife along once, and she could tell it was too much for her acrophobia before we got to the first switchback. Anyone who proceeds in the face of inclement weather or disregards even basic safety precautions is just oblivious. The risk of falling is right before your eyes! So please, no more requests to close this spectacular trail.


Angel's Landing, for me, was the most challenging experience of my life. Oddly enough, I didn't realize that I was afraid of heights. I was a high ropes director at a summer camp where I actually challenged teenagers to overcome their fears. I had no problem free falling from the platform 30 feet high, trusting that the guy on belay had taken out the right amount of slack. I had no problem leaning over the edge of the zip platform 70 feet high, while I was teathered in.

I climbed Angel's Landing on Good Friday in 2002. I will never forget seeing the last half mile of trail and taking a picture by the pine tree on top. I waited at least 20 minutes before I could muster up the nerve to commit. I remember the ledge close to the beginning. The chain was to my back against a wall. Your feet are barely inches from the sheer cliff taller than the Empire State Building. When people coming from the opposite direction needed to pass by, I held the chain with one hand, and grabbed a rock hold on the wall with the other. As I was holding on, allowing people to pass by, the fragile sandstone rock in my right hand actually broke off of the cliff and fell down the side. It was here that I had my first and only panic attack in my entire life. I literally had to tell myself to take deep breaths.

I continued on up the trail, amazed by the beauty of the canyon. When I got to the very top, the clouds began to thicken. Out of nowhere, it began to sleet. My hands were going numb. As I hurried back across the half mile of Angel's Landing, I remember looking down at my bloody hand that had been holding onto the chain while rubbing against the side of the cliff.

Again this was one of the greatest accomplishments (in terms of overcoming fear) in my life. I went skydiving 2 years later, it was a piece of cake for me compared to Angel's Landing. I'm still nervous with heights (when not in a harness) and the thought of doing it again terrifies me.

Maybe the signs could be a little more blunt, since people like me, don't realize they even have a fear of heights. Still, I knew the risk when I committed at that pine tree after Walter Wiggles. I knew full well where a stumble would lead. It was staring risk in the face and perserving through the fear that made Angel's Landing such a great accomplishment in my life. I still have the picture of me approaching the summit framed in my high school classroom. It is a constant reminder to press on.


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