Zion tragedy

Last body recovered

www.sltrib.com/home/2960471-155/search-resumes-for-last-of-zion

It's sad to see that they were warned there was a high danger of flash floods, but chose to go anyway. I saw that there were also 13 people killed in a nearby town, when two cars were swept away (I did have a moment's pause at the numbers in that report!). Fast water is one of my deepest fears. I can't imagine what they all went through.

The calendar is a powerful thing. People submit to the calendar far too many times at their peril. That's when their vacation was, so that's when they went... People routinely get rescued or "recovered" in the mountain West once fall starts to transition to winter and people still head out in the face of a looming storm due to their calendar...

ETA: I'm not familiar with that route. Is there signage at the trailhead when they close the canyon? I know there is at the mouth of the river for going upstream from Zion Canyon.

From the article SWT linked:
Dismissing Zion rangers' warnings that flash flooding was "probable" as storm clouds gathered Monday, the canyoneering group used their permit to explore Keyhole, a narrow slot canyon on the park's east side.

Park officials cannot legally bar anyone with a permit from going into the canyons, regardless of weather dangers.

Once the official National Weather Service flash flood warning for the park was issued at 2:22 p.m. Monday, rangers closed all canyons and suspended issuing permits. However, the group was already in Keyhole by then.

As HSF notes, the calendar can be a deadly master, and a hard-to-get permit (I don't know, but I'm guessing they are) can lead even people who know better to do what they shouldn't.

I read that the party entered the canyon around 4:00 pm? After the flash flood warning was issued...

Just makes me sad, seems to have been preventable.

In our area we always tell folks that thunderstorms are more common in the afternoon - so if you're going to summit a peak or be in a canyon, go early in the morning!  We had a recent fatality in Forest Falls, which is prone to flash flooding.  I was there in the morning when it was blue sky beautiful, but made it a point to leave by 1:00 pm.  The fatality occurred about 5:00 pm.

Anyway, these folks were avid hikers and So Cal locals... Got these emails

"It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I write this. The recent tragedy at Zion National Park has claimed the lives of 7 members of the Valencia Hike Crew. This is a very sad time for ALL of us in the southern California Hike Community. Hikers treat hikers like family and we have lost family... Please keep their immediate loved ones and extended family members in your thoughts and prayers as we suffer the loss of these intrepid soles...

Thank you,

Sincerely,

David Borchart
Owner: San Gabriel Mountains Backpack and Hike Group

Dear Friends,
Please join us for a tribute and remembrance of our dear VHC friends we loved so well. Together we will find the strength and guidance to carry us again into the wild places we love so much with only fond memories of those we have lost.
Placerita Canyon County Park
19152 Placerita Canyon Rd, Newhall, CA
12:00 pm Sunday September 20, 2015
In order to accommodate everyone, the event will be held in an open house format from 12 noon to 5:00pm. You are welcome to come at your convenience and stay for as long as you wish, but we request that you do attempt to select a time that spreads the attendance out.
We also want to urge everyone to carpool as much as possible.
There will not be an organized hike, but please feel free to create a hike on the spot! Our friends would have wanted that. There are plenty of trails in Placerita Canyon and we can help you with that.
Please feel free to pass along this notice to anyone you think may wish to participate. We also ask that information concerning this event not be passed to the media so we may maintain the privacy of the families and of our gathering.
What we would like you to bring:
Food and drink: You need not bring paper plates, cups, napkins etc. we will provide them. Please help us have a variety of food by following this guideline if at all possible:
Based on your birthdate please bring:
Jan Feb March - Veggies / Salad
Apr May June – Protein
July Aug Sept - Pasta / Carb
Oct Nov Dec - Fruit / Dessert
Please understand that we will need to keep a watchful eye on the length of time food sits outside. We would like everyone to be responsible for maintenance of their food, plates, containers etc. and to ensure all your food is policed when you depart or removed after two hours unless it physically cannot spoil.
We also greatly encourage the following:

Pictures: I know time is short, but please try and bring printed pictures suitable in size for a 12”x12” album with dates, location, etc. written on the back of each photo. Bring as many as you want or can! These will be displayed on our tables throughout the day. They will then be collected to be placed in seven volumes which will also be available during the day for your sentiments and signatures, and provided to the families.
Bandanas (much preferred): Or scarves and pennants, with a written sentiment. When you arrive you will be able to tie your bandana to a line strung at the picnic area where they will be displayed throughout the day and then also provided to the families.
Camp chairs if you can, as seating may be an issue.

Observe moments of silence throughout the day: To honor our seven companions we will hold seven, thirty-second moments of silence at the following times:

1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm, 3:30pm, and 4:00pm.

Placerita Canyon County Park
19152 Placerita Canyon Rd, Newhall, CA
12:00 pm Sunday September 20, 2015"

Very sad to see fellow enthusiasts much like we members here lose their precious lives. May their eternal souls rest in peace. As a community there is value in asking why and how we can avoid such in the future.

Since they were told right before they left that thunderstorms were in the area but still decided to move up the canyon, they apparently didn't consider that a serious threat they couldn't handle as no group will put themselves into harms way they truly believe is dangerous. They were obviously experienced outdoor people with all the right equipment with some having done canyoneering trips before. We see this same kind of disregard for potentially dangerous conditions in our mountains so I wonder why this is? What leads to these kind of situations by otherwise experienced enthusiasts? Snippet from hikehalfdome.com/accidents/:

Lightning strike kills 2 (August 1985) 5 hikers ascended up Half Dome late in the day and met with tragedy from two ferocious lightning strikes... It recounts how the young men, full of enthusiasm and bravado, ignored nature’s warnings and hiked up the famed cable trail right into the vortex of a fierce thunderstorm. They took shelter in the rock “cave” enclosure at the summit. Lightning struck the Dome twice, killing one of the hikers and causing a second to tumble over the edge, out of the grasp of his best friend. Two survivors were gravely injured.

With climbers there are numbers of stories by some peakbaggers but without tragic results upon seeing gathering thunderstorms making hasty retreats down to lower elevations and while on the way passing other climbers that are still intent on climbing up with little worry.

In 1990 the federal government was successfully sued by some that died from lightning strikes in the rock hut atop Mount Whitney when 16 people were inside despite the fact people have always been warned against being in high places during storms and the trailhead has always been so signed. The judge declared the government also needed to put signs up inside that hut that was laughed at by mountain enthusiasts as nanny state nonsense since any climbers ought to know it was dangerous as common sense. My reason for mentioning the story here is it is an example of how some people if they don't clearly understand dangerous phenomenon may act against common wisdom that most would consider obvious if they see other people disregarding such. Much the same behavior during special outdoor events in cities where there isn't enough parking and on one street a single person parks along a street with numbers of NO PARKING signs. Sure enough other people will start doing same, will look at the signs and apparently think it is ok since other people did it. A short time later all have tickets on their windshields.

A couple years ago a very experienced backpacker challenged the High Sierra on one fall snow storm too many and succumbed at 11k Taboose Pass.  He had a history of forum trip reports with modest spring and fall storms with snow.  Several days in advance I had closely watched the coming storm and posting warnings on a board the person doubtlessly had read.

In these cases will speculate people may have relied more on their own personal past experiences more while less on prevailing public wisdom. So part of this may be about personalities with a more challenging go for it attitude and maybe also a tendency to disregard common guidelines of safety on conditions they personally have not experienced nor adequately understand the dangerous nature of phenomenon for. Also the less frequently truly dangerous conditions occur the more likely some who otherwise know better will tend to dismiss the possibility of a rare event. An event like this Zion flood that may occur only once every few decades at specific locations.

Accordingly it may not be enough for authorities to simply put up warnings like "don't hike up slot canyons in thunderstorm weather" and "avoid high ridge lines and peaks during electrical storms". Somehow authorities and enthusiast communities may need to figure out how to convince people these dangers are real possibilities even if relatively rare.