A woman died after falling over 100 feet in Zion National Park Thursday afternoon.
Cheri Hass, 47, of Ohio, was hiking the Left Fork of North Creek, commonly called The Subway, when she slipped and fell over a cliff edge, according to the National Park Service.
Hass was hiking with friends and was leading the group. Her boyfriend rappelled down to assist her, while two others in the group hiked out and phoned for help.
The Subway is a popular canyoneering route, accessible only with a wilderness permit and the seven to nine-hour route requires navigating past numerous boulders, ledges, and waterfalls, as well as wading and swimming through several miles of the creek’s cold water, according to the NPS.
“The park staff extends their condolences to Ms. Hass’ family and friends,” said Superintendent Jock Whitworth in a statement. “It is truly a tragedy.”
This is the second incident in a week of a visitor getting too close to a cliff edge, slipping and falling. On September 2, a 33-year-old Arizona man was rescued after a fall in Zion National Park. He is in the ICU at the University Medical Trauma Center in Las Vegas, according to NPS.
“In both instances, we strongly suspect that these events were caused by getting too close to the edge of a cliff,” Whitworth said in a statement. “Loose sand on slickrock may have been the cause of the falls. Given the topography of Zion National Park, these accidents could have occurred anywhere, even popular trails in the main canyon, including Angels Landing and Observation Point. All of us need to maintain situational awareness and be extremely careful anytime we are near an edge.”
