E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSCODY, Wyoming -- Search teams on Friday recovered the body of an 18-year-old woman who plunged 400 feet to her death on the first day of her job at Yellowstone National Park when a rocky ledge overlooking a canyon gave way beneath her, officials said.
The woman, whose identity was being withheld pending notification of her family, arrived in the park on Thursday to begin a new job with a private concessions company in Yellowstone, park spokesman Dan Hottle said.
She and three others went hiking early that evening along the edge of a popular canyon called the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, on the North Rim trail, Montana's KAJ18 station reported.
The group had ventured onto an off-trail promontory at a spot called Inspiration Point when the accident happened.
At national parks, where are all the young people?
A member of the hiking party used a cellphone to alert park authorities. Yellowstone Park rangers said they responded to the 911 call around 6 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET) on Thursday, KAJ18 reported.
A rescue team that was dispatched to the scene later reported spotting a badly mangled figure about 400 feet below the rim of the 1,500-foot-deep canyon, officials said.
Environmental woes imperil America's national parks
Rescuers concluded the woman could not have survived the fall. With nightfall advancing, search teams returned on Friday and retrieved the body in a three-hour helicopter operation.
Hottle said another member of the hiking party narrowly averted tumbling down the cliff.
"The 18-year-old was sitting on a ledge when the rock fell away. Someone was standing right behind her and, miraculously, didn't fall," he said.
According to Denver's ABC 7 News, friends of the woman said she was from Russia. This could not be immediately verified.
What's behind all the deaths at Yosemite?
Fatal falls are relatively rare at Yellowstone, accounting for fewer than a dozen deaths - among millions of visitors - over the past 30 years.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Holder names 2 prosecutors to probe possible White House leaks
- Excessive cheering hogs spotlight at high school graduations
- Nuclear headache: What to do with 65,000 tons of spent fuel?
- Redwoods vs. red wine: Lawsuit aims to block vineyard
- ICE crackdown nets 190 child porn suspects; 18 victims rescued
- Oil boom brings wealth and waste to North Dakota
- Video: Siblings late to school 160 times
Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
What a misleading headline. This girl wasn't even working when this happened, she was out hiking with friends and it just happened to be the same day she was scheduled to start her job. I'm not sure how that is even relevant to the story.
Probably alive too? Just so many confusing details.
Below is the title of the "parent" article and the first paragraph. That's MSN for ya!
Yellowstone hiker falls to death
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - An 18-year-old woman is dead after falling hundreds of feet while hiking in Yellowstone National Park. She was a Yellowstone concession employee on her first day in the park, according to a press release.
Heartbreaking for her family.
You have to remember that MSLSD journalists are the bottom of the barrel. These people are barely literate and never got above a "C" in English Composition in school.
Many times have I seen errors in syntax, grammar and usage that no word processor, or Editor caught.
Makes you wonder how the editors rose to the position they have, doesn't it?
I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing the rape of proper English and grammar by our so-called "journalists" these days. But you have to remember, they graduated with journalism degrees. Journalism school doesn't teach you English and Grammar 101. What we are dealing with here is a complete and utter failure of our public education system from grades K through 12.
The sad irony here is that we throw more and more money annually in public education and get less and less out of it. I honestly don't believe there could ever be a better example of the law of diminishing returns other than what we throw at public education.
AHYEEEEE!!!!
Once again!!! Why do you people even click on the link or go to MSNBC anyway? You read the story and then immediately run (with bated breath, usually open mouthed) to write some diatribe about the site and the story. Get a freaking life why don't you and STOP clicking the links!!!! Damn!!!
That said, condolences to her family.
The headline titles alone, found on MSN, almost sound like I'm reading headlines similar from the National Enquire. I think most stories of the National Enquire are more believeable than MSN! (sarcasm)...Not referencing this tragic story but go back to the title page and read some of those misleading bullsheet headlines.
Nice job they did slipping in the words badly mangled body. Even if the"journalist" was told by a rescue worker they found a badly mangled body, there's no reason, but shock value to print it. No respect there at all. I agree with some. These so called journalists are pretty awful, but the editor(s) are to blame for letting misguided headlines pass as truth so readers will stop in for a peek.
This just makes me shake my head. She's a youngster doing nothing wrong at all and then...gone, just like that. Life in tenuous at best. Enjoy the one you've got, while it lasts.
If all of you hate the journalism at MSNBC so much, why bother reading the articles?
It's not just journalists/journalism. I'm reading a book by a popular author, published by an arm of Random House. The glaring error rate is about every five pages, with even more minor errors. Of course, we all make mistakes that we don't catch until it's too late, but I thought that's why editors and galleys exist.
@10tacle: What does this story have to do with a public education system? Nowadays readers want their news fast, like twitter. The quality of the writing depends upon the audience.
The headline of a related article within this one asks, "What's Behind All the Deaths at Yosemite?" This article then proceeds to state that there have been fewer than a dozen deaths in 30 years. Another misleading headline - "ALL the deaths" leads one to believe that there have been dozens or hundreds of deaths.
@Susan - If you have to ask the question, then clearly you wouldn't understand the answer. And your closing words ironically validate our point on poor writing and instant gratification needs/short attention spans: an audience being continually dumbed down. Maybe it's intentional. A dumb mass is easier to control.
Watch out for that first step it's a doozy!!!
The same reason we all rubberneck on the road when seeing the aftermath of a car wreck: it's just irresistible to gawk at and comment about.
NJ Person (#1.14): The article here is talking about Yellowstone. The link to click on is about Yosemite. I thought it was a strange place to include the link myself, since it's a different park, but what do I know?
They didn't want to scare visitors away obviously.
@10tacle: You obviously have a piss-poor attitude toward public education.
First, condolences to the young lady's family.
Second, to those that want to parse headlines. Headlines are rarely written in proper English. They are written to attract readers which require amongst other tools, sensationalism. Point is all of us that have read and posted here were drawn in by the headline. Hence, they did their job.
As to the headlines what most of you parsers missed is the fact she was not an employee of the Park Service, she worked for a private contractor and was off duty. She was at the moment of her fate, a tourist. What galls me is those critics so quick to jump on the "Liberal MSNBC" don't even understand the details of government (or they would have been all over that too).
This is so very tragic. Yellowstone is a wonderland but also can be a very dangerous place. Most workers are students that come from all over the US and world to enjoy a job within the most beautiful place on earth. We think all new employees should be given a thorough lesson on park hazards and dangers prior to stepping forth on hiking, fishing and other outdoor adventures. It might of saved a life.
You know, this is the chance you take when you sit on the edge of a 1500' drop. It is unfortunate, but it really was no accident. She wanted to sit on the ledge, but she didn't know what she was doing and she sat on an unsteady spot. Mother nature can be a cold bitch and this is her way of weeding out the stupid people.
Well it's obvious she wasn't well trained to be in that environment or she wouldn't have sat on that ledge. Just a simple mistake by some one not familiar with such territory and it resulted in that. If she was from Russia she came a long way for her journey to end like that. I have heard it said many times we all have a appointed place and time. Makes you wonder. Sad for her and her family.
cactuscat
You have to remember that MSLSD journalists are the bottom of the barrel. These people are barely literate and never got above a "C" in English Composition in school.
Many times have I seen errors in syntax, grammar and usage that no word processor, or Editor caught.Makes you wonder how the editors rose to the position they have, doesn't it?
Many times I have seen errors.......................Or were you asking 'My Eyes Have Seen The Glory Of The Coming Of The Lord'
gridlock, his( cactuscat ) sentence you point out is actually correct. He's not asking a question at all but rather pointing out what he has seen. His would be the more proper version for those who speak properly( very few in todays world ). Yours is more along the lines of what most of us think is proper.
I'm not going to ride MSN about mistakes in a story. If they want to look like idiots, let them look like idiots. As far as Susan's comment..."the level of writing depends on the audience." Please try to refrain from such an ignorant comment next time.
Twitter, facebook, Google Plus, etc...I care about my grammar and spelling just as much in those places as I do anywhere. Many people do not, but whatever. It is only a reflection on them, just like it is on MSN. However, implying I am stupid because I choose to read these articles is pathetic. I studied in school and take pride in what I do. It showed when some of my peers struggled with simply writing a structured essay in college. I wouldn't blame the schools either as someone did. If you are giving them more and more money and they are failing, why give them more money for starters? That is on you as a taxpayer to demand more for giving more. It is how a democracy works after all. More importantly, not much has changed in the 12 years since I left high school even though more and more people have excuses to avoid actual work. In other words, if the kids are not getting amazing grades, chances are they are choosing not to. It has nothing to do with ADD or other ailments. It has nothing to do with not being able to do better. It mostly has to do with effort. I can assure you there were times I didn't apply myself. When I did that, I attained average grades in those classes. When I did apply myself, I had perfect grades even at the college level. All too often, kids are worried about their social status. It gets worse in college, even if they do make it to class with a banging hangover.
I just returned from my two week annual trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. It is a spectacular place to vacation and work. They are not dangerous places to be unless you do something that you are not supposed to do - like go off trail and stand on the edge of a cliff.
It is unfortunate this young woman had to die this way, but she did something really stupid and dangerous. She left the marked trail.
scabby - "If all of you hate the journalism at MSNBC so much, why bother reading the articles?"
It's like a car wreck scabby. Do you like car wrecks? No, but you can't help but look when you come across one right?
P.S.
What happens at MSNBC is not journalism.
First of all, sincere condolences are sent to the young lady and her family.
One of the main reasons the news stories on MSN are written so badly can be traced directly to the quality of education and complete lack of pride in one's work that is so prevalent in society today. It doesn't matter that a child cannot spell a word correctly, use proper grammar, or even write a complete sentence. Pass them anyway. It doesn't matter that children are receiving high school diplomas that most of them can't even read! When I've read comments posted by people claiming to be teachers, it makes me shudder to think they are responsible for a child's education.
People's priorities today are ass backwards. Way too many parents don't seem to care that their children are not learning. The big issues to these parents are school imposed dress codes, making sure the children can use their cell phones whenever they want because a "concerned parent" might be trying to get in touch with them, and challenging schools to ensure girls are allowed to play on the boys sports teams. Student "rights" trump learning everytime. Pride in a job well done is such an anomaly today because there is no shame or embarrassment in doing lousy work. Heck, why should one work hard? Society rewards you for just showing up, not for getting it right
Reading about the recent 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, it made me marvel at the knowledge, talent, and skill of the engineers who designed and built such an incredibly beautiful structure so many years ago and which still stands today. They did it without the use of computers and all the other technical devices now available. The most amazing tool used was the brain. I would bet that if you asked students today what a slide rule is and for what it is used, easily 99.9% wouldn't have any idea nor would they have even heard of it.
Finally, to the "grammar police" who chastise posters who misuse and abuse the english language to the point of many times posting unintelligible comments, keep up the good work. Maybe they will be shamed into better communication, but I doubt it.
A young lady plunges to her death in a tragic accident, and too many people on here only worried about the grammer in the article. How about a little more concern for the girl's family and a little less about syntax.
Amen, Abby!!!!
And another Amen to Malachy!!!! I thumbed up you both.
ApacheRose: When writing, know your audience. It was taught in high school and college. Nothing ignorant about it. MSN assumes they know their audience.
You're absolutely correct, Susan. These imbeciles posting on here about all the mistakes they found in an article have just confirmed to MSNBC that they are idiots who clicked on their story despite the atrocious editing. That's a "Cha-ching...one more idiot clicked on our story. More advertising money for us!" If they REALLY had the brains they think they have, they'd go away and read something else, if they could find it, that never makes mistakes. But MSNBC, like us, know they won't do that.
PS., Yes, I'm here and I read the article. But I'm not the one trying to look smart by trying to be first in pointing out all the mistakes I can find. I understand the time constaints on 24 hr news and all the competition to get the story out first.
@ NJ Person "The headline of a related article within this one asks, "What's Behind All the Deaths at Yosemite?" This article then proceeds to state that there have been fewer than a dozen deaths in 30 years. Another misleading headline - "ALL the deaths" leads one to believe that there have been dozens or hundreds of deaths."
Yellowstone (Wyoming), which this article is about, is not Yosemite (California), which you were commenting on. I know, easy to confuse the two because they both start with Y, but you know....
Susan - give me one good reason why I SHOULD NOT. I'm results oriented. Clearly, you are emotionally oriented. The truth is painful. I'll bet people like you whine about America being behind in education compared to other nations yet just mindlessly want to throw more money down a rat hole known as government/public education (read Abby's post above). And then there are those teacher's unions...
And....the answer to what is behind all those deaths at Yosemite...?.........Gravity.
I've spent 27 years preserving a historic site here in Mn.Coldwater Unit. It is the first pioneer village of Mn. Through my preservation efforts it is became a National Park Feb 2010. National Park Service full time employees are the best. Everyone well trained in their field, kind, very outgoing, respectful, enthusiastic. Safety concience to the max. Just finished doing some planting today with them. Park officially opens this fall. Only 1 cliff 30 ft high for 1/4 mile. The National Park employees make the parks as safe as possible with proper warnings and info available for tourists before going on adventures in the parks. People have to be reminded not to try and get close to a buffalo and no picnic baskets for the bears....Then again people like to bring home a spectacular photo for eternity.
Whine whine whine! LOL...
Yet, you all keep coming back for more and more, every day!!
Because more concern for her mangled body isn't going to change her outcome. However, concern about syntax can be remedied.
If you do not read what the opposition is saying you can not quote them in your rebuttals. MSNBC makes it comical to quote, from their blatant Obama can do no wrong articles to it's tabloid style headlines....
I really don't get the numerous spelling errors when there are even FREE wordprocessing apps that come with spell check! MSNBC (MS stands for MicroSoft) how about giving your journalists MS Word so the can have spell check and grammar checking ability.
"The group had ventured onto an off-trail promontory"
This says it all.
Workman's comp? Nyet!
No need for Aflac on this one
Vegas, I am hoping you were trying for humor. Otherwise, it was a very cruel comment. Everyone takes risks. I am very sorry for this child, her family and the people who wittnessed this tragedy. It is a fine line between fun and folly. RIP.
I bet she doesn't get a cardboard coffin like the veteran in Florida.
Anyone dying so young is a tragedy. Rest In Peace
My condolences to the family and friends of the young woman.
I am wondering, as she was from Russia, under what circumstances we are having to import workers with the job skills of concession stand technicians.
(Sorry, just finished another magazine article justitying importing people from out of the country to fill jobs in the US because citizens here just don't possess the the skills.)
Makes more sense when you say it out loud - "American kids looking for summer work". It's not impossible, just not a lot of it when you look at the bugbite/dollar ratio.
I can confirm this sad fact. Seems anyone under the age of 50 is incapable of counting back change. Of course when it does happen I go into shock and they think I have Alzheimer's or some other mental condition.
On our last trip out West, I struck up a conversation with a gift shop employee, who happened to be American. He told me that anyone could apply for the jobs from any country. He said that many of the summer workers make more money working at the park gift shop or concessions during the tourist season than they could make working the entire year in their home country. He knew of a worker whose parents were both medical doctors back in the "old country", but the park worker made more money than the parents.
The parks concessions workers (they are contractor-employed, not government workers) have name tags labeled with their home country. I guess that might be helpful for park visitors from outside the US.
And why is it that American (US) kids have to find work for the summer?
Why not have "kids" spend all year going to school/college, instead of the 1/2 time college system--this makes the college almost twice as expensive, and is a complete waste of national resources (takes a lot of time away people from the actual life working time).--I have been to 177 US universities, and it is mostly the same everywhere, why not go like the Culinary (CIA), or West Point?
High school as well, why not have a few weeks off in summer instead of almost 3 month?--also those teachers claim they work so hard, so let us compare to say a working man/woman, or an engineer ( I have for over 40 years worked over 4,000 hours every year (not because of money, but the job level/requirement, and that I have seen a lot of people do as well))!
---Is it all because the "kids" have to get that down payment for a car at 16, so they can keep corporate America (US) raking in profits?--same with the business of universities. There is no reason why a BS has to take 4 years, if "kids" had time to do the job, instead of working at the beach; "colleges" love to fill the credits with useless fill as well, I have been very disappointed many times with several types of engineer job seekers, they do know a lot of things I do not care about, and many times are flat on actual engineering--then again, with a "system" that says even people with an IQ of 100 can be engineers--I am sorry, but they have a hard time helping me teach/build a computer/memory chip factory, or food engineering..
I do find it insulting here though that you have to sit here and dish on a young woman that fell off those steep cliffs there, like in the Grand Canyon parks as well, but then again that is what keeps Americans (US) away from real issues, like getting a far better infra structure for our young, so they would not have to work in/during even high school!
What a tragedy that this young girl lost her life. So very sad. With that being said I would like to comment on hiring imigrants from foreign countries for summer jobs. The reason more and more immigrants are being hired is because so many american kids think working minimum wage jobs are beneath them. Well guess what kiddies.....you have to start somewhere. They want designer cloths, expensive cars but have no work ethics at all and I blame the parents for raising spoiled rotten lazy brats. All this Russian girl wanted to do was work and try to make a better life for herself. I wish our American kids where more like that!
80 hours a week for 40 years? Damn.
What is it that you do?
and he had to walk uphill both ways to work.... :)
...in 4 feet of snow....
Bundgaard-1210892....another thing....in this country we fixate on IQs, rather than what a person CAN really do. Instead of focusing on accomplishing things and attempting to DO SOMETHING, most people just get locked in mindless competitions to prove they have a genius IQ. I think IQ rating is often detrimental to productivity...it gets those highly rated smug and self-satisfied, while discouraging the lower rated folks from trying to do anything.
The National Parks use a contractor to do the hiring of summer employees, you can look it up on the net. They hire young people from the US and many countries and they also hire retirees for jobs ranging from maintenence, food service to store clerks. Most people who apply are looking for an opportunity to spend some months in a spectacular vacatonland venue while earning money. The employees live in dormatories and, in the case of retirees, some bring their RV's. The pay is more or less in the minimum wage range less what you are charged for lodging. Kids have to want to leave home for these jobs in which they could find themselves cleaning hotel rooms, washing dishes or clearing brush off walking paths. How many American kids would apply?? I don't know.
It is very sad this young girl lost her life. As someong else mentioned I have seen many tourists do very stupid things in areas they shouldn't have been. Not at all unusual to see someone standing on the very edge of a precipice after climbing over the protective railing or chasing large dangerous animals with a camera. Usually when these kind of accidents occur it is because someone took a stupid chance.
Randoo,
That is 6 feet of snow! Weren't you listening? LOL
For the at least the last 10 years, The State Department has been hiring foreign students to staff private firms in National Parks and forests. The kids net about $0.50 an hour after paying for room, board and the promoter who organizes the transportation. It is felt that the foreign students are more reliable and cheaper than hiring US citizens.
Not all but many American kids are spoiled...some of them rotten. They do not want to work. My first job as a teenager was min wage, 1.85 per hour. Economics forced me to join the military instead of going to college. That is how I received enough education to make a go at it. You do what you have to do. Not this generation. And it is absolutely the parents fault. My kids make their own way. And I did not give in when they wanted what all their friends had. They got what I could afford...they lived through it...appreciate what they have more...they are the better for it. Obviously need in these foreign countries has produced these kids willing to work. If they had everything handed to them do you think they would be here looking for work. Get a clue parents. My heart aches for this girls parents...not many will care about this story in either respect...they are all at the mall buying stuff they don't need.
its a part of a work/school exchange program for students here from another country. OUR students also participate. obviously these are parents with $$ who want their children to get a taste of bustin your a$$ for a living. now.... being "these kids" OBVIOUSLY have gone home to cry about the wages/labor. yes they have room and board to pay for as heat, elect etc.. it is a lesson. you have food, and other needs in life. in reality, they get to learn what their parents wanted them to. funny... where are the complaining parents of all these slave students in all this?
i think the lesson, is what life is like with only a high school education. poor kids. nevermind they also get to enjoy our great nation. this girl, and her freinds seemed to be out having a good time, not being "chained to a work area" as some seem to imply.
also at the end of the week, anyone making just better than min wage, who pays their bills, after all is said and done, $20.00 isnt bad for a 40hr week, and i have a hard time believing that's all they get.
Bundgaard-1210892 - your rant was something else.
I had a job since 16. Having a job taught me personal responsibility and money management that NO school could teach in a textbook. Is that clear enough? Not everything in life can be learned through a book, lectures, and taking exams. When I bought my first car for $5,500 after working two summers, I was on top of the world at 17. I was in control. I could do anything. Do you honestly think you can LEARN that in a textbook???
And there we have the root of your rant - a typical corporation/profit hater. Oh my GOD, a company sells something and you and the OWS people who "think" like you have hissy fits! And I do use the word "think" loosely here because it's more reactionary emotionalism than rational and logical thinking. What are we supposed to do in this nation? Turn everything over to the federal government so nobody makes profits anymore? What am I supposed to do? Make something and sell it for not more than it cost me to make in materials and just give my time away making it for free? And you expect corporations to all be non-profits or something? What's the alternative? Turn everything over to the government to control? Yeah we've seen how well it can manage a $16 trillion dollar debt that keeps growing. With a mentality like that, no wonder this nation is in trouble.
Today's kids are doomed after birth. We have a FAILED education system that we mindlessly dump more and more money into yet get diminishing returns. They are not taught personal responsibilities anymore. The days of having field days where someone gets a Blue Ribbon are long gone because said education system deems it "unfair" that someone wins and someone loses. Working for merit and beating someone else has become evil. Today's kids are taught that everyone is equal with equal capabilities. One kid can't get an award anymore - ALL children share in the award. That's just NOT the real world out there.
With a mindless and I dare say feel-good liberal indoctrination like that, it's no wonder our kids are failing themselves...and the future of America.
Horrible to think about. I worked for Xanterra (likely the company she was working for) for two summers in Canyon Village, and spent a lot of time at the canyon at night. I can remember seeing people go over to where I imagine she fell from (inspiration point, I believe they said). Just a note, most of the employees working for Xanterra were American citizens when I was there (summers of '06 and '07), but there are a lot of travel agency-type organizations that pitch these jobs to foreign students as a way to see a part of the U.S., and earn decent money (for a teen, anyway)--Work and Travel USA is an example of this.
Many students from the US go overseas for study abroad, and also work while overseas. Also families who are stationed/ job transferred overseas will have their kids working in that country.
And it's not that US citizens don't possess skills, it's cheaper to hire someone from another country- the Philippines, and India as nurses/doctors.
I worked in Yellowstone years ago (2005) and there were workers from all over the world. They just wanted to make money over the summer and decided to work at Yellowstone. There were a lot of Americans as well. I thought it was amazing to work with such a array of nationalities. I never did think of it as a negative thing. How is it any different then Americans working in other countries?
The unfortunate young lady apparently was part of a student exchange program that works both ways for the United States. This is something that is done between governments to improve relations and provide educational experiences. The pay/stipend is basically an allowance. This isn't about foreign kids replacing American workers. This is about life experience These kids deserve this as much as a college football player deserves going to a bowl game for having a good season. If your kids meander through high school and end up with GED's or a poor GPA so as they are left to flip burgers for a living that is not anyone's fault but the parents their incompetent kids.
SCREMINMIMIM that's they way this country works. Myrtle Beach South Carolina is flooded with people from Russia,Ireland,Jamaica and other countries during the summer. They all work at the motels and bars.Sad but true.
I think some of you whom are criticizing the fact that Yellowstone hires young people from other countries need to look at a map and find out where Yellowstone is. Then you should find out how many visitors come to Yellowstone during the summer months. For the lazy ones, this isn't a hugely populated area. There are a lot of farms and ranches. There aren't enough kids in this area to do all the jobs in Yellowstone. Many of the kids are working on the farms and ranches already. Yellowstone is always packed in the summer, so much so at times it's almost bumper to bumper cars. Plus, all the people from other countries that come over here to see Yellowstone, having kids from others countries makes a lot of sense. I'd bet a lot of you have never been to Yellowstone, you should go. It should be on everyones bucket list. It is one of the most beautiful places in the United States.
To the person that said people under 50 can't count change, you don't get out much do you? There are some very smart people in this country. Don't degrade the younger generations because you do not understand them, when you were young I'm sure the older generation didn't understand you either. Remember Elvis?
Visit Yellowstone, see the surrounding areas, you'll see why hiring people from other countries is needed. Plus you'll have an experience you'll remember for the rest of your life. Remember to always stay on the marked paths, do not venture out it is a dangerous area if you do not follow the signs.
""The 18-year-old was sitting on a ledge when the rock fell away. Someone was standing right behind her and, miraculously, didn't fall," he said."
Yea, nothing suspicious about that at all. (sarcasm)
If the rocks did actually just give way it was most likely due to the additional weight of the other person as it is unlikely the girl weighed that much and wouldn't have even been able to get seated if her own weight was too much.
pjam...You've been watching Conspiracy Theory too often. Now, you want to turn an accident into a murder and vilify the man standing behind her without a shred of evidence to support that theory. Just denigrate the survivor and that is ok, huh? Wow. Brilliant.
It was the CIA... i've heard stories like this before!
;)
Get sick and tired of the fake excuse that Americans won't do the jobs. Before there were tax breaks for foreigners to do the jobs they weren't needed. Before illegal aliens came flooding across the borders all landscaping, roofing, construction,painting and storm repair clean ups were done by Americans. Heavy jobs done by college students etc. It is a fake excuse so contractors and owners hire cheap Mex etc to do the job for 8 bucks or min wage and keep a higher profit. One of my rich friends has a roofing company, hollars most about illegals but has numerous crews of them. To close friends he says it is good money, Points to new cars and toys and says that is proof that it is good business to hire them instead of others for a few bucks higher. They all made a profit before or they would not have existed.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I had had the opportunity to travel to another country when I was 18 and all I would have to do is some honest work over the summer, I would have jumped all opver that. I think it is fantastic that we can give kids from other countries the opportunity to visit us here.
Bundgard: Just enroll your kids in private classes in the summertime and they should be able to outperform all the others AND get that college scholarship. That'll show filthy corporate america.
Just never trust this website or their colors. They all lead to negative people that are drunk,stoned,or aggressive.This site is a data thief and they must pay them too much to talk or anything sound. Time and time again-all this website has design for is malice-lack of truth to news. The colors are America failures and the only success is what data this site can steal and sell.
And you are always here.... why?
Poor guys havin' a bad trip.
Thanks screminmimi ...... that was my question to someone else. Why do they keep coming here if all they are going to do is complain. I hate that channel that calls themselves news, so I do not watch or listen to them. Why can't these dips do the same with this site?
so sorry for this kid, the friends and family.
first rule of thrill seeking: acknowledge and respect the edge from a courteous distance, then approach it.
second rule: following rule one is not a guarantee you won't be asked in.
Fourth sentence of the article:
There's a reason why every tourist that enters a park gets a pamphlet that includes the sentence "Don't venture off-trail" somewhere in it.
18 is to young to die. Life is just beginning...so sad.
How tragic for this young lady. My condolences to her loved ones.
There are rail fences, signs and barriers saying "Don't go beyond this point" in a multitude of languages and in sign language. Like the folks who fell off the top of the Yosemite falls last year, this woman and her friends were violating the park rules for their own fun and self-indulgent thrills. She paid the price of foolishness. Now we will all suffer with more signs, more barriers, more areas closed to us(the public).
Exactly! I spend a lot of time in the parks around where I live and volunteer at one - this is why you stay on the trail. If you want to go off the trails most parks will let you apply (after proving you are skilled enough to do so) for a special permit to go off trail.
I could write a book about the moronic things I've seen people do in the parks.
And she paid a very high price for her error, don't you think? Let it go.
I miss Yellowstone. Years since i've been there. Time to go back again. So beautiful...
Yellowstone is beautiful but it can be dangerous. Staying on the paths is a necessity not a suggestion. Where she fell is a deep canyon and the walls are lose rocks. It was very dangerous.
The man who said there were not enough youth in the area around Yellowstone was correct. It is an isolated area and workers must be brought in. Too bad the young woman came so far for such a tragic end.
I was also going to point out that they were in an area where they shouldn't have been. I have been a park ranger in the past and you wouldn't believe the idiotic things that the general public does. I once gave a woman a ticket for swimming in a boat launch area. She was out at the NO WAKE buoy, struggling, and I had to send a PWC out to retrieve her. I was NOT going to have a drowning on my watch and maybe she thought twice about swimming where she shouldn't have been after receiving the ticket.
Yes Steve, you are certainly right! There was an incident , I think it was last year, where these people made the news for being somewhat trampled by a buffalo in Yellowstone. Of course it came out a bit later that some idiot had bounced a large stick off the back of this buffalo, who up to that time was peacefully munching grass. I have some pity for the rangers in the park service who constantly have to be polite to tourists who don't think and get in trouble or are impossibly rude.
A few years ago I was at Yellowstone when a woman went beyond the boardwalk onto the ground near a hot spring. A ranger happened along and told her to get back onto the boardwalk. She replied that it was her right as an American citizen to do whatever she wanted, and no one could make her obey any rules. Right after saying that, she broke through the thin crust. Fortunately, she wasn't close enough to burn her feet, but she immediately began screaming that her shoes were ruined and it was the Park's fault and she was going to see that they bought her a new pair of shoes. Sigh.
Jeanne,
You are absolutely right. People are always doing mindless and selfish things. Police, Park Rangers, Firefighters and other emergency service professionals are left to deal with the fallout and they have my absolute respect. What is it about people that causes them to be reckless and foolish only to expect a rescue? Sometimes we don't get a second chance. I am sorry this young girls life ended so suddenly and violently but, she did violate park rules. They are in place for a reason...
Oh, I believe you. I've seen people "hiking" in several feet of snow in flip flops. Or pushing baby strollers on trails (not paved ones - but actual hiking trails) along cliffs, etc.
Alright already. There are some seriously stupid and rude people on this planet. I agree. This particular person was sitting on the edge of a precipice admiring the view with her friends. She wasn't bad mouthing anyone or being rude. She made the mistake of going off trail and paid the ultimate price for doing so. Leave her alone. Hope her death will serve as a lesson to others that want to get just a little closer to their beautiful surroundings....The signs are there for a reason and some people ignore them and suffer no consequences. She, her friends, and her family will have suffered enough. Why do you people just have to go on and on about the stupidity of people?
Colorblind.....?....as you just did?
Maybe, starsailing, but if it sounded like that then I missed my mark...My comment was intended to steer people away from being too judgmental regarding a person that made a poor decision and paid the ultimate price for it. Calling her stupid seems kind of cold...That's all I'm saying....
Many years ago, we were visiting the Norris Geyser Basin -- very lovely, very eerie place. There are signs all along the boardwalk, in several languages, saying that the water hot, do not stick your hands or feet in it.
Some guy looked at the sign, said, 'Oh it can't be THAT hot!', knelt down and stuck his arm in the water. It was blistering before he could pull it back out.
As he was being taken away for medical treatment, he was screaming that he was going to sue.
::eyeroll::
This was also years before the McDonald's Coffee Woman......
My 19 yr old son isn't having any luck finding a summer job. He has a license to lifeguard. The landscaper jobs are reserved for Mexicans, and the pool guards are all white foreigners. He was willing to work at the beach, but those jobs are also reserved for white foreigners.
Why is this sort of thing allowed to happen? I don't want to hear the same old justification that Americans are too lazy and want too much money, that's BS. Send these foreigners back home and let our legal kids compete for these jobs.
there is always ditch digging.
No job is beneath you. Every job teaches a lesson or a value. If he can't find one good one get two bad ones.
shut up fool
Chi- great point. I have had a job and responsibilities since I was four. And believe me I have taken on work that most Americans wouldn't do unless they were starving. Worked my ass off 12, 14,16 hrs. a day for almost 30 years, the best incentive to improve yourself is a crappy job. What does this have to do with this gal dying-nothing, she had a case of bad luck is all.
Take that pipe out of your mouth and get some fresh air!
There's always SOMEONE who had it so bad and so much worse than everybody else on the planet (especially on message boards.)
Me thinks this one is probably just a hallucination.
RIP young lady. My condolences to this young girl's family.
Have your 19 year old son go on line at his favorite National Park, look for "employment" and click on it and apply. The contractor is Zanterra last time I checked. It may not be too late for this year in certain parks. He will not make big money,but he might have a little adventure and learn something in the bargain.
conway twatter, My name has no reference to drug use, what I said is entirely true. What I am getting at is I am not yet 55, semi-retired and pay more in taxes than you make a year. Oh, I almost forgot,Blow me.
Tell him Subway is hiring.
Oh right there stoney, you not only had it worse than everyone else, now you make more money than everyone else. Hahahahahahaha! Some people truly amuse me. After all, you can blow smoke behind a computer screen since nobody knows who you are and you don't have to prove anything, right?
How is it you even KNOW how much I make, or think you do? hmmm? You have no idea what my profession is.
...and I already have a boyfriend, thank you. You could only wish you had what he has.
(I am a woman, by the way...just so you don't get any strange ideas to poke back at me.)
Biffjohnson the answer to your question is simple. The federal government allows it to happen and the people of this country sit on their timid ass's and allow them to let it happen. No politician in this country gives a damn about the people of this country. They say what the people want to hear and that's as far as it goes. They serve only themselves and their bank accounts. If one does what is right they don't stay in office long. Davy Crockett is a good example. He was elected and served in congress until he voted against the Indian removal act. He stood against Andrew Jackson and his illegal removal and forced march of the Cherokee Indians to Oklahoma. It was political suicide and he knew it but he did the right thing. He lost his job over it but he kept his dignity and honor. None of them are going to do that these days.
Actually conway twatter, I was right on. Let me tell you all about yourself-I can tell by your posts. No older than 22. Think you are way smarter than you really are. Tattoo's. Smoke. Might be lead shift at a job I have moved past. You must be drunk right now to think I would think you attractive. Will always be a smart ass, but unfortunate more of an ass than smart. Have a good day. And I never said I made more money than anyone, I said I pay more in taxes than you make.
Everybody has a job. If you don't have a job, your job is finding a job. It's an 8-hour-a-day job, even though the pay sucks.
.
What a terrible tragedy. I'm so sorry for her family and friends. Just 18 and starting a new job with her whole life ahead of her. What a horrible shame.
Oh wow. R.I.P.
Bad choice. Begining classes next day covered the topic of not getting too close to cliff edges.
Wonder what the view was like!
What does her nationality have to do with anything?
Good point. A young girl died here. Is that not bad enough??
Of course having national parks is socialism, so the poor kid is just another victim of said curse.
As much as I despise socialism, and I am not sure National Parks are a product of socialism, I would like to point out that if it weren't for the National Park program, many of those still nearly pristine natural environments would have been paved over or stripped by miners long ago.
I am thankful that President Theodore Roosevelt had the foresight to protect these lands before they were exploited and ruined forever. In cases like this, it is necessary for the government to save the idiots of this country from themselves.
Clayton Bell you are exactly right. There are those greedy basta*ds in this country who would destroy every last bit of those places for nothing more than a dollar. At least something stands in their way.
"Fatal falls are relatively rare at Yellowstone, accounting for fewer than a dozen deaths - among millions of visitors - over the past 30 years"
I would not say that is rare. Even one is too many why was she let out of camp before her indoctrination? Looks like we need to look at the Practices of Yellowstone new employees. Any new employee should not be set free to roam the park without going thru some form of Indoctrination on safety!! But then again they have no union to help enforce safety, SAFETY COMES FIRST!!
How do you figure passing the blame onto the Park?
While I seem to have noticed the 'why take responcibility for your own actions because you can blame it on someone else' mentality so prevently displayed in this country these days.
Fourty or so years ago a friend of mine and myself drove up to the grand canyon one night, parked the car at an overlook area, got out walked across the barriers; they aren't that high; walked out to the edge and sat down with our legs dangling over and watched the sun rise. Great sunrise but when we realized where we were sitting: a shale out cropping several thousand feet up: we got back behind the barriers real quick. If anything had happened to either of us that morning the fault would have been our's and our's alone.
This was a bad accident that shouldn't have happened, the responsibility lies totally on those who were there, sometimes getting a look at some of these marvalous sights overrides our common sence and accidents happen. I feel sorry for the young lady and her family but also for the young man who was standing out there with her, he will live with this memory all his life.
You idiots must work for James Sokolov. She wasn't a park employee, she worked for a vendor in the park, she wasn't wading in the river, she was sitting on a ledge and the park shares absolutely no blame, they were hiking, they went off trail, she fell, end of story.
Safety should come first, but it is not the park's responsibility to teach you common sense. Though they certainly go above and beyond in their efforts to stop you from doing stupid stuff that will get you killed. Most parks I've been to have NUMEROUS signs talking about the area that warn you about dangers. Most also give out informative newsletters when you arrive. And most have any number of maps, guides, pamphlets, etc. if you ask. And of course, most parks have rangers, volunteers, etc. who can answer your questions.
That stuff like this happens is the fault of no one but the people who made the choice to not inform themselves and to not follow the rules.
How unfortunate, but fate is fate and nobody dies on the eve. It's sad to see such young person die. R.I.P.
That is really so sad. My condolences to the family. At 18 years old, her life had just begun.
She probably had a re-occurring dream about falling off a cliff.
Fa...Was that comment meant as humorous or just mean spirited? I don't understand this new concept of assigning blame in every incident....Someone must be at fault...The victim, the employer, the Park Service, the govt. for hiring out of country students...What is the purpose of that? So that lawyers get richer and someone get a sense of being smarter than the victim? How many of us wonder, after looking back at our youth, how we managed to grow into adults after all the crap that we did as kids? I sure do. I lived in rural central Washington. There were no signs, no trails and there were raging rivers and hills to investigate. I survived. Don't know why, but I did. We were sent out to play and not linked to any gaming device or GPS thingy. We had one phone and a TV. No computer. No 911. Why not get off the blaming bandwagon and just regret that this young lady lost her life--her judgment was poor and she paid for it...as could have happened to most of us at one time or another.
Too many young people think they know all there is to know. They don't want to hear about the pitfalls along the way. "They" seem to think they are invincible and that is why they take hugh chances that, often, lead to accidents like this. She should have never been allowed to lead a group of other young people on a hike like this; especially with her not knowing the terrain. I think the park must take some responsibility here for allowing her to do that. This is not like the stupid people who waded out into the river above the falls and died. Although, there must have been a guide along with them who, somehow, failed to communicate the real dangers of wading into a river just above the falls. This young lady wasn't familiar with the terrain well enough to be guiding a group.
I can't take it!!! Did you READ the article? She was out hiking with a small group. She was NOT leading the group, she was OUT HIKING!!!!!
Stop, think, read, comprehend. Damn ya'll are making the rest of us MENTAL when you make unfounded statements.
Hey dale? they weren't wading in a river you dolt
Wow, Really?
Dale....Did you just pop out as a responsible adult? Or did you have to grow up like the rest of us. Read the damn story before you comment. Your facts are wrong and your judgment is miss placed and mean spirited.
What the heck was an 18 year old doing base jumping from a cliff anyway? Where were her parents? Don't they have common sense in Romania?
Condolences to the family of this poor girl
SHAME on MSN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously just how many 18 year old girls on their first day as a ranger in yellowstone do you think there are?
Don't you or anyone feel that the parents have the right to be the first to know? Oh hell no, the whole country gets to know. What is wrong with you?
She was not a Park Ranger, she was not a park guide!!!! She was however and employee of a Private Concession company!!! Got that yet?!!!
READ, READ, READ!!!!!!!! Please, and you are the ones complaining about the fact that young people don't seem to be able to listen and comprehend simple instructions. You don't either!!!
Tired....You got the picture and you are right on target....Ranger??? WTH? Good posts.
And what are the punishments for rangers who drink on the job anyway? I feel like someone should lose their job over this.
There are more than enough skilled workers, the companies want the skills, but they don't want to pay for it. So they make that claim to justify moving overseas to cheap labor which in reality is no more skilled, just cheaper.
In Soviet Russia, cliff dives you
While I do believe that people should have an equal opportunity for a job, to promote the naturalized citizens of this country or a foreigner, regardless of whether they are the so-called "majority" or a so-called "minority," is stupid and it ruins the job market for EVERYONE! Also, many foreigners actually DO come through this country through legitimate means and they ARE actually trying to follow the rules. If you want to blame the real reason on why they have not become citizens of this country, well, you can blame our stupid natural citizenship process, which, if I am correct, is said to take 7 to 14 YEARS to work. Excuse me but that is WAY too long for those people to become citizens of this country. The MAXIMUM amount of time that should be allowed for such a process is two to three years, period. However, as for the poster that had the kid that was looking for the job, I agree with the other poster about having any sort of job not being beneath you if you are willing to work hard at the job. I also hope that your kid finds a job and he will do so in due time, so keep being persistent, kid, because you will make it if you think positively and keep being focused on success in your life.
Now I am going to turn my attention to the incident regarding the lady who fell to her death. Before I begin, I would like to say this message to all of you out there. When you have your first day of work and it is not all that great of a day, remember this message; it could always be worse and what had happened to this lady is a fine example of a first day on the job that had went horribly wrong. Now there are some things that I would like to ask about the incident and MSNBC apparently has not thought of asking these questions themselves. The first thing that I would like to ask is where were her friends in all of this situation? We know that one friend had nearly fell with her but what about the other people that were also there? The second question is stemming from the post that the ranger had made on here. The second question is where were the safety railings of guards in this location? One would think that there would be safety guards at this point to prevent this sort of thing from happening at this location, am I right? If this was the sole reason why this had happened and if there was some loose ground that gave way and caused her to die, then the park itself is to blame for her death. However, judging from the evidence here, there could be any number of factors or reasons for her death, including but not limited to, one of the visitors being from the Russian Mafiya and they apparently had a score to settle with her or her family or they simply did this to her for kicks. Yes, those few reasons may seem sick, disturbing, and wrong to say them but in Russia, they are all too familiar of a way of life there, not unlike what drug cartels in Mexico and other Carribean and South American countries do to people on a daily basis. My condolences go to the family of this young woman. We mourn for your loss as your life was just beginning, miss.
Read Dammit!!!
You may as well give up TiredVoter. A lot of the comments I read remind me of a game we used to play as children. Gossip. We all sat in a circle and one kid would whisper a short story to the next one, and so on down the line. The last person would say out loud what the story was about. The results were always funny and never resembled the original story. I think some people read an article, or parts of it, and then make up what they think sounds good.
TiredVoter -
I think you're about to pop. Step away from this site...QUICKLY!