How Many People Have Died Hiking Angels Landing?
Wondering how many people have died hiking Angels Landing? Your curiosity is warranted – citing the fatality rate is an excellent way to understand how extreme certain trails are as well as reminding us that any hike demands to be taken seriously.
The fact is fatalities can happy – but mostly result from inexperience or not properly adhering to safety guidelines. Since Zion National Park has opened, a total of 5 falling fatalities have occurred within Angels Landing. This is the highest amount of falling fatalities within Zion National Park behind the Emerald Pools location, which has 7 recorded deaths.
How can you avoid the worst case scenario? Any experienced hiker knows they’re better off bringing someone along. Regardless of bringing someone along for the hike, it’s important to make sure a third party knows your whereabouts.
Aside from that, you can also take precautions before you venture out. With recent developments with the ACA proving beneficial, it should be much more convenient to see a doctor. In doing so, you can find out if you are fit for a rigorous hike to begin with. If a doctor determines you are not, he or she can tell you what you can do to get you adequately prepared.
The general rule of thumb is you always need to plan for the unexpected. Understand fatalities are rare but do typically occur when hikers don’t observe the appropriate etiquette on their journey to the summit. Take your time and assist anyone in your party that seems to express difficulty.
Remember: Never venture outside of the designated trailheads and never advance any further than you believe you’re personally capable of doing.
Categories: National Parks, Zion National Park
