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5 hikers killed yesterday by landslide.


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Home Forums General Forums General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion 5 hikers killed yesterday by landslide.

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  • #1308241
    Daniel Collins
    BPL Member

    @diablo-v

    Locale: Orlando FL

    I don't know which section to post this in.
    This happened yesterday at a popular hiking destination in Colorado called Agnes Vaille Falls. 5 dead and one 13 yr old girl survived when her dad threw himself in front of her to protect her from the oncoming boulders.

    From the news story:
    "Firefighters, police, and search-and-rescue teams had to come down from the steep terrain at Agnes Vaille Falls, where boulders the size of cars fell from a cliff on Monday, a spokeswoman from Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said."

    The only name released was that of the young girl who survived.
    Bodies have not been recovered as yet due to the unstable boulder field but a recovery effort should happen today.

    This happened "out of the blue" and the boulders apparently fell without warning upon the base of the falls where the hikers were.

    #2029832
    peter vacco
    Member

    @fluffinreach-com

    Locale: no. california

    " one 13 yr old girl survived when her dad threw himself in front of her "

    : parental mission accomplished.

    #2029848
    Ken Miller
    Member

    @powderpiggy

    Locale: Colorado

    Sounds like something a robot would say

    Can't even imagine what the child must be thinking

    #2029864
    Daniel Collins
    BPL Member

    @diablo-v

    Locale: Orlando FL

    "Parental mission accomplished " is appropriate.
    Even if the father attempting to block a car-sized boulder was futile, the girl will at least have a view of her father as heroic for the attempt. Per the story, he placed his body between the boulder and his daughter. She suffered a broken leg.
    She will be left with a both a terrible memory and a positive lesson of sacrifice, the positive lesson to be passed onward, I imagine.

    #2029869
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

    http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/30/us/colorado-hikers-rockslide/index.html

    The cause of the rockslide is not known, but Palmer said heavy rain this month in Colorado may have been a contributing factor.

    #2029871
    spelt with a t
    BPL Member

    @spelt

    Locale: Rangeley, ME

    I doubt Peter meant it as cold as it sounded.

    Sad. My first thought was that the rain loosened everything up.

    #2029922
    James holden
    BPL Member

    @bearbreeder-2

    heavy rain combined with the freeze/thaw mention in the article is a major cause of rockfall

    in squamish in the offseason, you really have to watch out for rockfall after the rain and the thawing cycle loosens out the rocks

    anytime you are "hiking" or climbing near potential rock fall …. get through as fast as you can …

    if rockfall is a serious issue, wear a helmet, you can get UL ones … it may not have helped in this case, but rocks hitting the head is a serious issue in climbing/scrambling

    also if in a group, spread yourselves out … dont bunch up in the face of objective hazards … that way if something does happen, you minimize the casualties and have people that can respond

    the squamish chief backside trail is likely one of the most popular in canada … even it can see rockfall as happened last year

    #2030171
    Daniel Collins
    BPL Member

    @diablo-v

    Locale: Orlando FL

    Due to earlier than expected snow in the Cascades, two hikers were rescued yesterday in waist deep snow after running out of food and activating a beacon. Two other PCT hikers missing, last seen near Trout Lake, one was 24 hours overdue which led to the discovery that they are missing. Still not found but search continues today. Deep snow has buried the PCT so people are getting lost off trail.
    * from MSNBC news *

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