Here's some PR 101 for Ms. Baird: Do NOT say "a lot of people hike off trail" and do not SMILE when saying it. WTF?! What you DO is put on a very stern face and say "the few people who choose to hike off trail rarely realize just how in danger they put themselves. It's very frowned upon for a very good reason."
But how do you "hike " off trail at Grand Canyon ? I would call it meandering off the trial likely to get a better picture or feel the risk of being closer to the edge.
@@mizzury54 Sometimes there are trails that are commonly used by animals like desert bighorn sheep that are much more surefooted on steep slopes than humans. People see a distinct trail, not knowing that it wasn't made by humans. I'm not say this guy was on one, but it's possible.
I've lived in AZ for 50+ years...Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Tourists don't realize how dangerous the canyon can be. Stay Safe!! Stay on the Trails!!! Drink plenty of water!!!
@@howardrobinson4938 dehydration, rattle snakes, cliffs hundreds of feet high with no barriers.... there are dangers. People think it is a benign, spiritual place. It is beautiful and dangerous too.
@@adrianpena677 picture taking kills many at the GC, and I am NOT trying to be snarky. People climb over the barricades to get a better pic and then they fall off the side. It's sad...
Your listening comprehension skills need much improvement. She didn't say it was normal, she said it was a common occurrence. This is not a point about the number of people that hike off trail, it's a statement of how frequently it occurs.
Enough to say “Jesus I accept You as my personal Savior. Forgive me for my sins”…. Super sad that this happened this way. Idk how people can stand so close to stuff like that…
Went there with wifey and saw plenty of hats just off of the ridges edge, watched a parent quickly grab their child from retrieving the hat that was suddenly blown from their head off into the canyon 😟
As a tour guide, I sometimes have to walk away when I see people clowning around near cliff edges. I don't want to see what I can't unsee. I make sure my peeps know the hazards, but I can't police others.
"If common sense were so common everyone would have it." I don't know where this quote originated but my boss told me that 30 years ago and it is sooooo true!
@@darkespeon64 your comment only strengthens the point. It's critical the general public are reminded wild places, like the Grand Canyon, are not Disneyland; and hiking off the trail WILL/not if have dire outcomes . We learn to make better choices by the often tragic, and consequential decisions of others. State parks attract thousands who live removed from the daily influences of Mother Nature, and tragically common sense is too often in short supply. By your report, we should not discuss or comment on the aftermath of bad decisions because it's not nice. I'd suggest you consider those people who are given no boundaries, taught no practicality, or encouraged to deeply respect the unpredictability of wild places, are those who don't live long in either rural or urban places. Without a doubt, I'd rather my child's feelings be a bit bruised if it meant they recognized, absorbed and learned from the ramifications of a mistake by another. Being soft is a favor to no one.
@@mset68 God gives us freedom, maybe that young man was not careful enough and accidents happen. But his family had the blessing of having him for 20 years and I am sure God will heal them. God bless you
@@mset68 I lost a love one and knowing that God exists sure makes dealing with the hardships of life a whole lot easier and gives you more peace. Maybe you should give God a chance to enter into your life.
They should have video clips of people falling for people to watch displayed on the signs that say stay on trails! Then again, people think it can’t happen to them.
@@Moonbunny55 , I will never get eaten by a shark , die in a plane crash or fall from the Empire State building ! I have a bet with anyone for one million dollars on it ? Any takers ?
Its scary since the trail is very narrow and some wider areas but mostly narrow! I grew up in kansas, but when I was about 11 yrs old, my dad was transfered to Flagstaff Arizona for 6 months on a work assignment and during that time we did quite alot of sight seeing. The funny thing was my parents deciding to hike down to the bottom of the grand canyon with me and my little brother. It was a hot summer day and my mom hated the hot weather, so we only were on the trail for about 30 minutes when my mom told my dad its too hot lets go back to the car 😂 and we were all in agreement so back to the car we went! 😵💫🥵🤣🤣🤣 my poor mom’s face was red as a beet! And that was not good!! We saw some people going past us on donkeys with a tour guide. So it is scary since theres no guard rails on the grand canyon trail. It was a nice childhood memory sight seeing places during our 6 month stay in Arizona. ❤
You may not feel sorry but he still wants to experience stuff tragic his life was gone to soon he had a bright future condolences to his family for loosing their baby.
@xzuzux944 Well ... as a kid, I wanted to experience many things too but I never climbed out on a dead tree branch or went within 15 ft of the canyon's West Rim.
What's with the spokesperson grinning as she explains how the guy went off trail and fell and the final, uncontrolled grin at the end of her statement? Well, she is chilling
Yeah this occurs much more often than in the past.... Must be the inability to read danger signs because of common core or the inexhaustible desire to get that photo opportunity
@@DeathComesToUsAll Some mature people actually do and know what’s messed up and what isn’t I may not be all mature enough but even I know what’s messed up.
It's possible the guy got on an animal trail without knowing. Desert bighorn sheep will walk along ledges and they're a lot more surefooted than most humans. They make visible trails that people might mistake as human made. Probably not true in that guy's case but it's something I've seen people do before.
Please know you can die ON a trail as well. It gets steep and temperatures can change from extreme heat to cold. I hiked the canyon and if i was not several feet away from the edge I would of fell 1000 feet. Yes. The canyon is over 6,000 feet high. I had slipped on a rock pebble and went sliding. I think because of good hiking shoes and a quick reaction, I was able to slow my descent. I immediately sat down to let my body touch ground and use my legs and hands to stop the acceleration. However, gravity always wins if the position is right. Things can take a turn and it can happen to anyone. Hike with full attention at all times. My condolences to the family. A beautiful life lost. May he rest in peace.
Problem is people don’t have common sense. Take responsibility for your actions. If it was unsafe wouldn’t everyone walking there be dead? Problem is people
When I visited the Grand Canyon there were two young women who gifted me with their reservation at the Havasupi Indian Reservation. They had to leave. I was told about how dangerous the hiking was by some guy from there and how some people had to be helicopter lifted out on way back up. After I didn't go down there and to this day I still wonder how wonderful it would have been if I didn't he the negativity and scare.
it is dangerous but that is why there are guides for the trip, and at the bottom the Havasupai are in charge. I've never done it either but I wish I had when I was younger.
Hike off trail if you live there and know where to go, NPS, has no issues if you use your brain. Just don't think you are Iron Man and can fly when you are stoned otherwise the Condors will be inviting you 4 dinner. Just be smart, responsible and tread lightly. No stomping around like a drunk donkey, pick your steps carefully and mind the tiny cactus waiting to "point" out where to step. Most people who end up either deceased or in the Helicopter were most likely ill prepared for their excursion. There are those very rare cases when a very experienced person ends up with the short end of that stick.
I would go with "slipped and fell". I doubt a 20 year old kid in Bible college had any base jumping experience. When I was at the West rim years ago, I stayed 15 ft from the edge. Went onto the glass bridge that extends 70 ft out over the canyon. That was enough excitement for me.
@@ohioguy215 Yep you are correct this wasn't the BASE jumper, I see there were 2 deaths at the Grand Canyon this week one fell and one tried to BASE jump.
@@mikeymike69 If you have a chance, get the book "Over The Edge" by Michael Ghiglieri. It chronicles the deaths of 550 people who went over from the time the park opened until 2000. I'm not into gore but I couldn't put this book down. It is a helluva good read.
You walk off trail, you take the consequences which come with that choice. Wild places, like the Grand Canyon, are not DisneyLand; too often these places attract individuals who live in cities and have little back country experience. It's tragic all-around, though American's need to accept and respect Mother Nature. She will win every time.
