Yosemite in the news---very sad.

[John Kasaian]

Sad stuff---one death from the hanta virus, two young boys tragically swept away on the Mist Trail, and eighteen more cabins in Camp Curry put off limits because of a threatening rock slide.

Aye carumba!
Whats going on?

Don't mess with the wildlife
Stay out of dangerous water
All that broken rock came from somewhere and Mother Nature ain't done doin' yet.

[Vaughn]

"What's going on?" -- the usual stuff, unfortunately. Sad about the boys -- national parks are not the safe amusement parks that people tend to treat them as.

[David Karp]

Absolutely Vaughan. We will not take our kids on that trail yet. Not old enough to know to be careful. We have seen so many people do stupid things in that park, including walking around on that slick rock at the top of Vernal Falls. We left, so we would not have to see disaster if it happened.

[Preston]

According to reports I have read, the two children entered the river below the Vernal Falls bridge. The river gradient is quite steep there, and the current is swift, even at low water. It wouldn't take much to pull a smaller person down. The whole episode is very tragic.

The hantavirus incident is even more insidious. The victims had no idea of the risk, and rightfully so, given this was a 'managed' accomodation at Camp Curry. Delaware North will be paying for this for a long, long time.

I think the attitude of many Yosemite visitors is that it's safe because of the infrastructure that's been put in place to make their visit easier with little 'apparent' risk; the paved paths, railings, the cables on Half Dome, sturdy bridges, etc.. In my opinion, perhaps many tragedies would not occur if these amenities did not exist.

"The chain of events leading to an accident happen relatively slowly. The accident happens fast." Alan Brunacini, Phoenix, AZ Fire Chief (ret).

--P

[Vaughn]

I would not hesitate to take my boys there at that age (about 6 yrs old). A 'simple' matter of proper supervision and experience.

And I have been lucky. I had a close call with my boys in the Merced River in the Valley. I had set up the 11x14 near the river, the boys playing on the shore. I went under the darkcloth and was focusing. I lifted my head up to check on the boys (they were about 5 yrs old) and all three were wading in the water up to their knees (and over the top of their rubber boots, of course) in an eddy, with the faster water just 4 or 5 feet further out. This was February, water moving very fast. Between their boots, the temp of the water, and their swimming skill level, I could have lost all three. A learning moment for all of us.

Another February several years later in Yosemite Valley, we were taking a night walk and one of my boys was on a log over the Merced. Coming back to the river bank, he jumped off the log onto what he thought was the shore, but it was just wood floating on the water. He only went chest deep, but it was a cold dip and a cold evening. He wore my vest back to the house.

It is a fine line between being overly protective and allowing one's kids to explore and learn about handling themselves in nature. There has been a few times I have other parents come up to me worrying about my boys, only to be shocked when I have said, "They are fine, they know how to handle themselves." They learned how to climb by falling from low heights. We have had a few broken bones and stitches -- but every instance has been either at home or at 'safe' playgrounds.

[Heroique]

Often when stopping for a rest & removing my pack – daypack or backpack – my impaired judgment & poor balance astonish me.

I’ll stay away from swift water & high cliffs, no matter how good the view.

Well, until I’ve had a breather, taken some water, and regained my bearings.

[John Kasaian]

I would not hesitate to take my boys there at that age (about 6 yrs old). A 'simple' matter of proper supervision and experience.

And I have been lucky. I had a close call with my boys in the Merced River in the Valley. I had set up the 11x14 near the river, the boys playing on the shore. I went under the darkcloth and was focusing. I lifted my head up to check on the boys (they were about 5 yrs old) and all three were wading in the water up to their knees (and over the top of their rubber boots, of course) in an eddy, with the faster water just 4 or 5 feet further out. This was February, water moving very fast. Between their boots, the temp of the water, and their swimming skill level, I could have lost all three. A learning moment for all of us.

Another February several years later in Yosemite Valley, we were taking a night walk and one of my boys was on a log over the Merced. Coming back to the river bank, he jumped off the log onto what he thought was the shore, but it was just wood floating on the water. He only went chest deep, but it was a cold dip and a cold evening. He wore my vest back to the house.

It is a fine line between being overly protective and allowing one's kids to explore and learn about handling themselves in nature. There has been a few times I have other parents come up to me worrying about my boys, only to be shocked when I have said, "They are fine, they know how to handle themselves." They learned how to climb by falling from low heights. We have had a few broken bones and stitches -- but every instance has been either at home or at 'safe' playgrounds.

I agree. Being overly protective invites bigger problems. Broken bones and stitches are a part of growing up. Two weeks every summer as a kid I spent in Yosemite Valley (where my big sister pushed my baby carriage---containing yours truly---into the Merced! Fortunately the water level was low.) A steady diet of interaction with the rangers up there drove deep in my mind being aware of the hazards of the run off and waterfalls. The years I spent in Madera County SAR gave me some insight as to how accidents in the forest can occur, but none the less, the family that lost those boys---my heart goes out to them!

[Vaughn]

The years I spent in Madera County SAR gave me some insight as to how accidents in the forest can occur, but none the less, the family that lost those boys---my heart goes out to them!

My mind can not even go to the place where I might have lost a child. Very sad.

From what I heard about the Kern (including from a diver that looked for bodies), it is one very dangerous, but safe-looking river.

Still, the roads and highways claim more lives -- and that is where my 'worries' will be the greatest...especially with 3 boys just turning 15.5 yrs old!

Vaughn

[John Kasaian]

Yeah the Kern is a bad one!
The only places on the Merced in Yosemite Valley my folks would let us swim or raft was below Stoneman Bridge down to where Curry now has the pull out for thier rafting concession, making me think that that section of the river must have been long known to be the safest (or least treacherous)
Except of course we'd fall into Fern Springs, lol!

[Vaughn]

I barely remember floating down the Merced on air mattresses -- some 50+ years ago while camping along the river (and watching the Fire Fall, too). But loved that...my brother and I would disappear from the campsite for hours. For us who spent the summers riding waves on air mattresses and body-surfing in the ocean, the river seemed relatively mellow. Don't remember stopping at Fern Spring until decades after that...long after I left home.