High Sierra Topix

+1 to Maverick's and Wandering Daisy's last posts.

maverick wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:50 am Do you want signs, everywhere in the park, where there is a possibility that you could get injured, I sure don’t!

The suggestion isn't to put signs up at every point where someone has to make a judgement call; it's to put one up at the trailhead to inform people that have never visited Hetch Hetchy that they shouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security by the bridge crossing Wapama Falls.

It'd be no different than the myriad of signs that are already posted at major trailheads.

Vacationers from over 150 countries came to see Yosemite last year.
Let's make sure that all the signs you asked for include all possible languages to ensure everybody gets the message...Argh.
What happens to those who can't read?
How about Braille too? WTF?
Put up all the signs you want but you can't fix stupid.

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Why don't they just close it when its dangerous? They close the 4 mile trail when its dangerous.

There are certainly too many signs. Just close a damn gate on the bridge. That translates.

c9h13no3 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:48 pm Why don't they just close it when its dangerous? They close the 4 mile trail when its dangerous.

There are certainly too many signs. Just close a damn gate on the bridge. That translates.

I have not been over the bridge. Both of my Hetch Hetchy trips went north instead.

That said, I was told that the bridge WAS closed. I assumed there was a gate of some sort, though I guess there was not. I met two trail workers coming back from the falls who told me the bridge was closed and they could not get over it to do their trail work on the other side. Now, maybe they were using the term "closed" loosely. At that point, they did not appear to know that someone had gone missing--they were smiling and happy at that point, but they did say "closed."

On the other hand, as I think about it, I did hear a helicopter a little later as I made my way up the switchbacks. I remember wondering what it was doing. Now I know. It must have been part of the search. Perhaps they actually did physically close the trail--after the hiker was reported missing and as the search began.

Also note the circumstances of his fall. His hiking partner crossed first, ahead of him, apparently without issue, and only then noticed his companion was missing. He turned around and crossed back looking for him. Since the missing hiker was following his partner who had successfully crossed, he might have thought he had little to fear. Unfortunately, no one saw the incident--even though there were people at both ends of the bridges--so unlike the deaths in earlier years we cannot know exactly where or how it happened.

Here is a photograph and a description of the 2017 incident. The photograph shows high water going around the end of the bridge and two hikers edging through it.
https://www.uniondemocrat.com/localnews ... pama-falls

This article discusses just about all the controversies that have emerged so far in this thread. The bridge railings (at least) were replaced after the 2017 incident. Clearly it did not help as much as might have been hoped.

And a description of the 2011 incident. This one had eyewitnesses, and was terribly poignant. One of the two men who died--in front of his wife-- had seven years earlier proposed to his wife at that spot. He died when he took his hands off the rails to try to save a companion who was going over. This was a group who had made the circuit clockwise and did not want to backtrack 19 miles:
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Yos ... 365691.php

One moral of that story, that has already been mentioned. ALWAYS do this loop counterclockwise in the spring. If the water is too high to cross, it will be at the very beginning of your trip and you can convert to an out-and-back up the canyon to Vernon, only wasting a couple of miles. You won't be stuck 19 miles into a trip needing to turnaround, and being tempted to do something foolish.

Bear in mind that conditions change over the course of a day on this bridge. In the cool temperatures of early morning snowmelt is light and water flow is lower. On a warm afternoon the water levels can ride significantly. Do you close the bridge and prevent people using it in the morning? Or do you allow hikers to use their best judgement?

We post signs, issues licenses, and have laws about how to drive in highways. No combination of those activities keeps people from dying on our highways. .

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Hmmm. I'd vote for your option #1. People have to accept the risk they choose.
One can always turn back if they don't feel safe. I've done it.

I'd vote #1 as well.