When I was last in Yosemite, April of 2007, I hiked to the top of the Yosemite Falls Trail and, after taking a quick break, decided to head for Eagle Peak. Alas it started to snow and after about 1/2 mile I turned back. A trail maintenance ranger at the bottom of the trail, who knew of my plans, asked when he saw me if I had made it. "No," I replied. "I turned around." He then mentioned that someone else, facing the same conditions that day, had not made the same choice. On the broad shoulder of Half Dome, with snow flying, this person had decided to go for the top, even in the bad conditions and even though the cables were not properly strung. He slipped and fell. I never found out if he lived, but the description offered by the ranger fits a pattern found repeatedly in this fabulous book. Young men taking foolish chances end up hurt and/or killed.
This book is a sequel to the immensely popular
Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon and like the first volume it is somewhat morbid. The authors, one of whom was a Search and Rescue (SAR) ranger in Yosemite for many years, catalogue all the ways one could conceivably die in Yosemite and then devote a chapter to each. Murder, suicide, and motor vehicle deaths are all covered, but so too is a variety of deadly accidents experienced by climbers high on cliffs, hikers lost or off route from established trails, drowning victims, people falling over the edge of waterfalls, and even people who jump off cliffs hoping to parachute safely to the valley floor (BASE jumping). Although the authors admit they probably have not found every single death in the park's history (records for the early years in the 19th century are incomplete) they are reasonably convinced they have found 95% of all deaths, many of which are discussed in considerable detail within the pages of this book. Readers will also learn a lot of park history and folklore, including the story of the downed plane loaded with high grade marijuana. The Sylvester Stallone movie
Cliffhanger was loosely based on this incident.
What in general do the authors conclude from all this? Mostly that young men, the predominant victims in the Park, seem to feel that they are invulnerable. They will leave the trail for a "shorter" route even if the trail they are on is the highly dangerous ledge trail (closed years ago, but still popular with some thrill seekers). This same population ignores signs about rushing currents above waterfalls, or climbs too far, too fast, without taking sufficient safety precautions. They might even unhook from their lines while on precarious ledges. Of course, there are a few daring (foolish?) women who join their ranks. Jan M. Davis, a Hollywood stunt specialist, died on a BASE jump. Ironically, she was protesting the park's policy banning such jumps. But for every story like hers, there are dozens of young men who make similar mistakes. Indeed, the main thing I got from this book was a sense of relief that I am now middle aged.
In all, this is an excellent, fascinating read. It is well worth the price and if you want to experience parklands anywhere; the advice these authors give may save your life. Be forewarned, however, that this book is very graphic. Full of gory detail, it is definitely not for the squeamish.