It’s the first week of April and already three people have died at the Grand Canyon in a span of barely three weeks. The latest was a 67 year old man who fell to his death. Holy crap, you would think that at 67 years old you would be cautious enough to stay away from the rim. In March a lady was mauled by a Jaguar while trying to get the perfect selfie. We shouldn’t need these reminders that nature is brutal and unforgiving.
Yosemite has had its share of deaths too. Just last year a couple fell to their death while trying to take a selfie. This isn’t limited to just the United States Parks either. In July of 2018 three vloggers died after falling at Shannon Falls, Canada’s third tallest waterfalls.
This post isn’t to scare you into staying inside and only venturing outside once you’re safely covered in bubble wrap. The whole purpose of this blog is to get people out and get a little out of their comfort zone. But when you do go out and adventure you have to always keep in mind that nature is brutal and unforgiving so plan accordingly.
Cheat Sheet
Check Your Surroundings
Hey, I understand pushing the limit, I’ve continued hiking above the timberline to Chasm Lake in Colorado while there were thunderstorms raging in the area just so I that I didn’t have to turn around before getting to the lake. I love going up to the rim of canyons where there’s no safety railing. Take a trip to Toroweep Overlook, 3,000 feet straight down and there’s no rail. Hell, there’s no other people there either. The closest ranger station is 3 miles away and you need a high clearance vehicle to get there.
Standing on the edge with nothing between you and the ground except for 3,000 feet of air is exhilarating. But I was also very much aware of my surroundings. That crack that you don’t see in the rocks? Guess what? You trip over it because you have your eyes on the viewfinder while your trying to frame that perfect shot. Then it sends you to the bottom in a hurry. And with a 3,000 foot plunge you’ll have an incredible amount of time to think of how much of a dumbass you are. That crack doesn’t care. It’ll be there for the next unsuspecting person, because nature is unforgiving like that.
Stay Away From the Wildlife in the Wild
Do a search for stupid people around wild animals. There are so many of them you can have your choice, reading about them or watching them on YouTube.
Yellow Stone and Rocky Mountain National Park are some great places to view wildlife in their habitat. In their habitat. That’s right, this is their territory. That moose that you’re trying to get a selfie with weighs up to 1,200 lbs and sees you as nothing more than a threat. If you get him mad, I hope that you’ve got your will in order. Those bear cubs that look so cute you just want to go up and play with? Their mother will come and knock you down in a hurry. Hopefully you get back up.
Stay Away From the Wildlife in the Zoo
I don’t know what it is about people seeing animals in the zoo and they think that they’re tame. The lady who was mauled by the Jaguar in Phoenix was the second one mauled by the same Jaguar because somebody else thought that it was a good idea to get a selfie with a cute little cat. That little cat sees you as nothing but it’s next meal. You get too close to it and it’s going to get it’s fork and knife out for dinner. Do you know why? That’s right, nature is brutal and unforgiving.
Just Be Aware
That’s all you need to do. Be aware of what’s around you. Take all the selfies on the rim that you want, but check your surroundings. Is the ledge wet and slippery? Find a different spot that’s dry or stand a little farther away from the edge, I can assure you that nobody on your Instagram feed will know the difference.
When you’re tracking that moose along the road, give him a little extra room, I would bet that he can run faster than you. At the zoo, there are fences and culverts in between you and those tigers for a reason. Don’t try to circumvent them because you think you’re smarter than the zookeepers. It won’t end well because you’re not.
Getting out and experiencing nature in its element is nothing short of spectacular. Practice the proper etiquette when you’re out and everybody will go home happy.
The only wild animals in Key West are the people on Duval Street at 3 in the morning, you probably want to avoid them too. Stay safe and go there for a perfect three days.
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