5 Last Photos of Hikers with DISTURBING Backstories...

[@kristymoore7052]

As I get older, 60 this year, I find that I see more and more, in person and online, older experienced people getting into trouble or even dying. It’s hard to get old and admit your limits and I fear ego plays a huge role in this. I am not alone to an extent, so I know I have to check myself and recheck myself to better know what I am truly capable of…now. I wanted to backpack in Utah, but everywhere I researched that looked so cool, included rock and canyon scrambles. Dang. Should have done that when I was younger, because I can’t risk it now as I am most likely not capable.

[@Tlyna1952]

I am 71, same age as Steve Curry and in the past I was a very avid and experienced hiker and backpacker and will admit I took several stupid risks back then, generally in going it alone. I have wised up over the years and no longer try hard terrain or take chances hiking alone. I saw that small bottle of water in the photo that he had and had to think he was a damned fool even if he had a few of them. I've never been in Death Valley but have hiked in mid 90s with triple digit heat indexes and would never go with something like that even then. In Death valley it would be a...well, death sentence, especially for the extended hike he did. You would need much more water and not doing it during the height of the sun. I feel sympathy for his family.

[@kb-vw9ix]

At this age I do rail trails and popular easy hikes…. And I’m very intentional with foot placement etc…. I want to continue to enjoy the outdoors but no more jumping from rock to rock…..

[@mtadams2009]

I am 64 and doing longer backpacking trips than I have ever done in my life. The gear has gotten extremely light and I now have the time to properly train. You do have to know your limitations though. Hiking in triple digit weather is very dangerous for anyone.

[@jamiepippin3892]

Older people trying to remain “cool” is a fairly new phenomenon

[@babybear2395]

​@@jamiepippin3892 We invented "cool" 😉

[@Tina06019]

Kyle, Long comment here. I want to give you and the r/hiking subreddit credit for convincing me to FINALLY get a satellite messenger device this month. I have hiked regularly for almost 50 years, most recently in New England. I am also retired US Army and a combat-zone veteran. But that’s really my point: you don’t accumulate near-50 years of outdoor experience without becoming OLD. I kept hearing and reading about climbers of my age and level of experience getting lost or injured in the wilderness, and the huge, expensive, dangerous, and often disappointing search and rescue efforts mounted to find them. Those situations are horrible for loved ones, and frankly embarrassing for the lost old person. (At least I would be embarrassed, even if very grateful and willing to pay the SAR expenses.). I was never a great athlete, and my abilities have of course diminished with age. If rescuers know near-exactly where I am, not just my itinerary and my planned return time from my family, there will be far less effort (and money) expended on me. I figured with a satellite messenger device, I could tell my family that I was safe but hunkered down and would therefore be home a day later than expected, no need to call SAR. Part of what I like about hiking is that it is cheap, especially as I don’t do the ultralight thing. (I would rather just go slower and have everything I might reasonably need on my back.). The Garmin inReach Mini is definitely NOT cheap, but I received it for Christmas this year. Now I just need to figure out how to use it. Best wishes, LTC (Ret) Tech-Challenged Old Lady Hiker.

[@mousetreehouse6833]

@Tina, Easy fix, just find an average IQ eight year old. They should have the device up and running in no time! Happy hiking! 😉🙂😀

[@lindasue8719]

I've got one (Garmin InReach Explorer) not for hiking (yet?), but for traveling in areas where there might not be cell signals, and in case of car trouble. I haven't become familiar with all the features yet, but the first thing I did was put in a few free customized texts that I can send to specific people, to give them my location and send help. I'm really happy I've got it!

[@trishweber9695]

so smart, great advice my family and I are just getting into this hobby and I will take this lesson to heart. Thanks for sharing

[@ZebaKnight]

You not only got older but you're also wise! I got older too... I'm working on being wiser ☺

[@bonnienichalson5151]

Wisdom with experience +Age lol keep on keeping on 👍🌼🤗🎉✨🫖🥳🍷

[@alpschild]

Just a warning on hiking in extreme heat- I made this mistake with my dog one summer and she developed Rhabdomyolysis on the trail. She collapsed about 1.5 miles from the trailhead. Thankfully, other hikers helped me carry her to my car. We immediately took her to the emergency vet where they were able to give her fluids and pain meds, but I could have killed my dog. Not worth it. This leads me to my second lesson - never hike alone. Be safe!

[@bb-om9pm]

How can you be so stupid? Why don't you think about your actions beforehand😢

[@adamantium4797]

It's a dog. So what. Lol

[@mainemermaid6596]

Thanks for the reminder. People mistakenly believe that their dogs can endure anything, and don't take their water and calorie needs into account too when packing (and need to take a rest in the shade, or be wearing a coat on long hikes in the cold weather). 🐕 ❤ 🐕

[@nuclearfetusdismemberment9227]

My dad told me that coats aren’t for dogs (native dogs in his region are atlas sheperds, they don’t even have long hair)

[@ash.lou613]

this is why there is a 25 rule. 25c above and -25c below animals stay home. my little dog chihuahua got a little heat sick one day when the weather decided to go from 20 to 30 in about an hour and then we got massively rained on. he started vomiting on the trail and so we stopped. ive learned since then there is a dog sport rule of 20. i mad eit 25. but for sled dogs its the 30 rule. anyways point is for pets, keep a rule. my dog does not got outside past -5c and remains at home 25c and above.

[@Mary-momof8]

There's no victim shaming. You're pointing out legitimate concerns and helpful comments!

[@marianparoo1544]

Victims have been hurt by others. These are fools responsible for their own fates.

[@readdeeply9278]

Because really, Death Valley in the summer? If I'd done something so stupid, I would absolutely expect to be shamed, post mortem or otherwise. Letting such behavior pass is no help to novice hikers, who might think this could actually be a thing. Coddling stupidity can be very dangerous.

[@danasandoval624]

@@readdeeply9278I totally agree. We live at a time if you give any negative comments or reports people say you are shaming the person. Not true pointing out dumb acts or pointing out mistakes that many could have been avoided can save others. Rather than inform people using examples of others that did stupid things they don’t want the ignorance pointed out because the thought now is ignore it because they can’t take constructive examples.

[@williamdiedrich3729]

@@marianparoo1544 It must be nice to have never made any errors in judgement.

[@pavelslama5543]

70y/o, hiking, desert in summer on a northern hemisphere, alone... Yeah, thats about as risky as playing a russian roulette, so no worries about "victim shaming", this was practically a suicide from the get go.

[@stevesauck7001]

I moved to Arizona 2 years ago, from Chicago. I couldn’t believe the amount of people who had to get rescued off the mountains, or died while hiking in the heat. First neighbor I met said “welcome to Arizona, always have a water bottle with you”. And I always do.

[@alexacarrillo4339]

I drove across AZ constantly when I was in college and never had less than 10 gallons of water with me.

[@kayhansen9229]

Someone might think it's a goofy place to say this but remember when you're a woman if you suddenly unexpectedly start your period it changes your whole physiology and you cannot take the Heat . I was a dancer and a speedrunners. Get down here in Houston when I went to mow the lawn one day I started my period in the middle of it and was cramping hard and couldn't take the heat had to actually stopped in the middle of the yard abandoned the lawn mower I didn't realize I had started my period I thought I was getting heat stroke but it turned out that it was my period but I was in danger of heat stroke or heat sickness son sickness I was a young woman too just watch out if your girlfriend starts her period turn around.

[@alexacarrillo4339]

@@kayhansen9229 I love the dry heat and it doesn’t do much to me but I definitely noticed people didn’t seem to understand their cars could overheat stranding them.

[@goblinofsharksnacks]

I live in a colder country and still always have a bottle with me I think id be trecking round with a 5L water bag I am not built for the heat :')

[@bwnco]

Hope not another liberal from city ruining are west like has been happening. Hence all the rescues....

[@elainebmack]

Hiking in unfamiliar terrain has its risks. I once took a two-month long solo trip to the UK and decided to explore the Scottish Highlands. Being accustomed to traveling alone I started checking out trains and other ways of getting up there, but a little voice told me not to go alone. Take a guided tour. Normally I don't care for "tours", but I trusted that "little voice" and found Haggis Tours in Edinburgh. It was fantastic! When we arrived in Loch Ness, I spotted a bulletin board covered with lots of photos of people who traveled alone to go hiking in the Highlands and were never seen again. I was really happy to not have gone there alone.

[@jjettswriting]

your story gave me the chills and reminded me to always listen to that little voice since its job is to keep you safe.

[@india1422]

So many people underestimate the Highlands. One year a private girls' school took them up into the Cairngorms. The girls' "am weather equipment" was plymsoles and a black rubbish bag each. I kid you not. Fortunately the rescue mission which was launched managed to save everyone. Of course, at is so often the case at elevation, the weather had taken a turn for the worst

[@marcyoverby3817]

​@@india1422 SO GLAD YOU LISTEN TOO THAT LITTLE SM VOICE...B😅E😊T YOU ARE TOO.

[@kaycep6819]

I was about 12 and camping in the desert with my dad. We were having breakfast at the local restaurant and someone came bursting through the door shouting “it’s raining!!!” My dad stopped and told me “get in the car NOW!” We drove the buggy back to camp; maybe 7 mins from the restaurant. We were floating the moment we got off the paved road for our campsite. No rain was forecasted; it was a freak storm. We were OK, but that’s a lesson. I will never forget. Rain + the desert = major danger. RIP for all the folks in the video; whether they made good or bad decisions. Thanks Kyle I love your channel

[@Geronimo2Fly]

It sounds scary, but I don't understand your story. You were in a restaurant, it started raining, and your dad rushed to drive you back to a flooded campsite? Shouldn't you both have just stayed in the restaurant where you were safe?

[@msyemisi7930]

​@Geronimo2Fly I'm confused myself I don't understand what the story supposed to reflect🤷🏽‍♀️

[@loganlove9986]

I believe flash flooding?? Dry ground can’t take in a whole lot of water all at once like wetter ground; so a lot of it will cause a flood in the desert The restaurant probably was in a flood prone area, and their campsite was on better ground?? (I think) Point being, if you see a rush of water in the desert, you’re in a bad spot. Make sure to avoid flood-prone areas if possible

[@Meggligee]

My best friend lives in Utah and has advised me whenever I visit, especially with my boys, that even if there is a 5% chance of rain you stay out of the slot canyons or anywhere that you’d be in danger in a flood. Always listen to the locals!

[@chriper77]

​@@Geronimo2FlyI was confused too and hoped the commenter would explain more. My best guess is that they were safe in the restaurant, but that they wanted to rescue their camping equipment. They managed to get to their camp in 7 minutes, in which time it had already started to flood

[@Erinlikeshiking]

Wilderness cameras on trails are pretty common out here on the west coast. They are used in part to track big cats in the area.

[@jaymontgomery3330]

Or Big Foot.

[@arguchik]

@@jaymontgomery3330 He prefers to be called Sasquatch.

[@Geronimo2Fly]

@@arguchik LOL

[@bobcampbell5151]

@@arguchik No realy he likes Sasq

[@abelis644]

​@@bobcampbell5151 Just don't call him late for dinner.🦧

[@kterhune100]

When I was younger on a trip down to New Mexico we took a short cut through Death Valley (not smart I KNOW my dad wouldn't hear it). The town right before you got into the thick of the heat told us to load up on water bottles, snacks and drinks. We were told to check the fluids in the car and to NOT stop and get out and to keep the AC going and windows up. We did and we (obviously) got out okay, but let me tell you... the heat we VERY uncomfortable and the ice packs we pulled out to cool down with melted within 4 minutes. That was in the 90's.

[@janefromtennessee]

Glad you lived

[@kayhansen9229]

Back in the 1960s my parents used to always drive from Southern Cal to Nebraska they had to drive through the desert we didn't have any air conditioning in our cars in those days and they drove an old clunker that wasn't fit for that trip but we always made it my dad would wait until he knew he'd be driving through the desert California and or Nevada at night he would always try to drive straight through because my parents didn't even have money for a 3$dollar motel back in those days my parents were in their thirties back then.

[@littlenonni4410]

@@kayhansen9229sounds like you were incredibly lucky that the car didn’t ever break down 🫣

[@kayhansen9229]

@@littlenonni4410 I think we had to pull over and put water in the radiator back in those days cars would overheat radiator with bubble up. My mom would pressure my dad into doing stuff like that cuz she wanted to go back to see her parents. We were really super poor we had no money to stop and get food or drinks my mother would make gross sandwiches in the car we didn't even have money for an ice chest back then motels were 2 3 and $4 a night. We never stopped at night. A cola was 10 cents a bottle a terrible extravagance back then.

[@JakeJake2021]

My dad too put us at unnecessary risk several times throughout my childhood. It’s hard to understand. It was part of the abuse. I know exactly what you mean when you say “my dad wouldn’t hear it”.

[@jamesmiller5304]

When it comes to the Steve Curry tragedy your not victim shaming, what Mr. Curry did was not only dangerous but stupid and selfish when you learn his wife basically begged him not to do it. And those photos of him under that sign just Haunting so sad so unnecessary.

[@hippiebits2071]

Given his age and that we don't completely know his decision making capabilities perhaps labeling his actions as foolish and stubborn would be more appropriate?

[@katherinewild1599]

Maybe he had some dementia.

[@TrudyPatootie]

*He definitely had an obsession to hike this dangerous Death Valley. Critical* *thinking didn't deter him from achieving his goal which he did accomplish.* *But of course to what end? I felt empathy for his wife left behind. I can only* *imagine her grief mixed with anger.*

[@TrudyPatootie]

@@BonuxCouleur *That is not funny Bonux..I hope she does NOT* *read your insensitive comment.*

[@cristinesomerville4522]

I do not understand for the life of me why ON EARTH that man would go hiking in DEATH VALLEY of all places in the SUMMER of all times! 120 degree weather?! Like WHY?! I agree with you, that was UNBELIEVABLY stupid! Also he was like ALL BUNDLED UP in that photo!!! I just don’t understand WHY he wanted to do that! Like what was he trying to prove?! I mean that was just straight up a suicide mission.

[@michellelinder3721]

My brother went for a run in 90 degree heat. He was an experienced marathon runner, but was recovering from an injury and was not in top form, but still in excellent shape. He made it to the car, and according to witnesses, he suddenly stopped, got a strange look on his have, and collapsed. There was an ER nurse who witnessed it and started CPR and paramedics arrived within a few minutes, but they couldn’t resuscitate him. The coroner believed it was an arrhythmia either exacerbated or brought on by the heat, and he was dead before he hit the ground. Do yourself a favor and don’t do anything strenuous in the heat, and just stay quiet and as cool as possible. Animals do it. So do cultures that live in really hot climates. Go out at night if it is cool enough - I would often go on night hikes in the summer. The heat will kill you. It just ain’t worth it.

[@barbarapaine8054]

The story about Mr. Nadiri’s disappearance has reinforced the idea in my mind that my little Recco tag and my In Reach aren’t overkill, even though I also hike popular trails. Forest cover or thick chaparral might make it really hard to spot someone in trouble, even if they are only a few hundred feet away.

[@jamie5092]

the thought of coming across a set-up tripod and camera pointing at an empty cliff edge is so chilling

[@robynaddie2071]

I have 2 stories. This year at Thanksgiving we were at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley. My 17 yo son WALKED AWAY. Without telling us. We couldn't find him for over an hour. No cell service , no water. It wasn't hot, but still. We were livid at his poor choice. 2) We watched a couple at the Grand Canyon CLIMB OVER A RAILING to take a selfie. It was so scary. They were smiling and happy. I can't believe people are still this careless with their own lives.

[@shark50401]

Just this summer I was visiting my 21 yo brother. He went into a cave system he had never been in and got lost underground for almost an hour. He only had a crappy half charged cell phone for light. I couldn't follow him in and there was no signal. He then made it out and promptly got lost in the woods. Finally found him right before dark in a field.

[@joanies6778]

​@@shark50401 I think that would be my last hike with him. Too dangerous!

[@UnicornSpoonie]

@@shark50401that just sounds terrifying for you! I mean probably for the both of you, but to explore an unknown (to you guys at least, idk if others know about it lol, cave system is just silly when you don’t have gear or anything. I’m glad you both made it out okay! Best wishes! 💛

[@UnicornSpoonie]

Holy s**t! I would’ve been so terrified as a parent when you couldn’t find him!! Alas, I remember all too well of how teenagers don’t think anything will happen to them. Glad y’all got back together safe and sound!! Best wishes 💛

[@tomhaskett5161]

There was a film called Zabriskie Point in 1970. Nothing to do with this thread, just saying.

[@MuchAdoAboutADD]

I've done Keyhole Canyon before. It was actually during my first canyoneering trip many years ago. The general rule of thumb my group follows is if there's ANY chance of rain in the area, we do not go into the canyons. I've seen how quickly flash floods can sweep through, even when it's bright and sunny and not a cloud in the sky. I can imagine being stuck in Keyhole during a flash flood, and it gives me chills. It's a narrow, dangerous canyon requiring several rappels and narrow swims to get out. I know it's so difficult to not go on a trip like that after so much planning, especially when you're right there, but it's really just not worth the risk, and there are so many amazing things to see in the area.

[@scottwilly86]

yeah I've been ascending narrow ledges approaching my target destination and get hit with wind gusts that would knock you off your feet and think nah, not worth it. Immediately turn around and hike back. These videos always make those decisions easy

[@southernizerwatching]

Kyle, Thank you for always being respectful for those lost loved ones and toward their families while reporting the scenarios.

[@jasminehoover5359]

I agree. You treat it in a way that if a loved one were to see your coverage, I don't think it would be offensive or hurtful. All of us who have a love for nature have things in common and can be respected. But, I also don't think it's victim shaming or wrong to talk about the mistakes made and lessons we can learn. I would think the families of the deceased would want others to learn and be safe, if anything could come out of their loved one's demise. It's the only good you can get out of a situation like that, to help it not happen to others, and I think it's a form of respect when done right, so don't second guess yourself or feel the need to apologize

[@southernizerwatching]

@@jasminehoover5359 Agree wholeheartedly. As outdoor enthusiast, we are always learning from others who've been there and are teaching us not to make the same decisions that they made, with respect and sympathy for the families. Hopefully we'll all learn from these trail stories. Much respect.

[@chronosferatu345]

As a kid we were told to avoid the slot canyons. Especially so if there was any possibility of rain within fifty miles. Any dark or gray clouds in sight was a no go. Seems like every other year someone was getting lost, stuck, or losing their life. Not only is it easy to get lost in a slot canyon, water travels fast and collects in those canyons quickly. If water is coming in and you have vertical surfaces on either side it's likely already too late to get out safely. Also, following the water downstream, which is the usual for finding civilization, will get you lost and cornered in a slot canyon. Contrary to what is usually the way to safety and civilization when following water, in a slot canyon the way to civilization is upstream against the waters travel. Keyhole canyons can be beautiful, but can be dangerous even in the best of times. Falling rocks, large steps that are easy to descend but hard to climb, debris, dirty standing water of unknown depth, and dead critters can make for a bad time. It's on the individual to exercise good judgement, be informed, vigilant, cautious and be prepared.

[@herstoryanimated]

Just had an in-depth read for the Keyhole seven. Canyoneering involves rappelling, cold water swimming and climbing up rocks and scree slopes. The main dangers are flash floods and rappelling accidents. Of the 7, 6 had no experience at all, particularly with rappelling, so did the morning course. They were experienced hikers, but novice canyoneers. The national parks service do not allow guides within parks (fir no good reason), so they were not allowed experienced help. Keyhole canyon is considered a beginner canyon, at 1200ft long short enough to escape quickly, and only 3 x 30ft rappells. It was raining that morning and they knew in advance there was a likelyhood of a storm and that the canyon could be closed. Dangers of flash floods was part of the course they took. Also this park seems to be in a hotspot for incidents (from national parks data), particularly for deaths during canyoneering. From other data in other canyons a flash flood miles away can produce an 11ft wall of water with no prior signs it's coming, headed by a debris wall of flotsam. The one survivor of 13 from this incident (the guide), literally had his clothes torn completely off, and was so battered and bruised it was "horrifying to look at". Possibly goes towards explaining why, despite having done much research beforehand, plus safety training that morning, it may have hit too quick. The only way to escape flash flood is to get to high ground - may not be possible in canyon. Photo from lunchtime shows apparently good weather. Much evidence they were closely following weather. The one member with previous experience, had completed keyhole before. Keyhole listed as 'dry' on weather website. Bad weather clouds obscured from view by the rock formation. Only around 30mins of weather actually visible. Weather warning would have auto triggered on their phones if they had had cell service. First storm actually misses the area, but a second one came. The group of canyoneers that overtook, was specifically warned about the weather and advised not to go out that day. The park policy is unless actually closed to issue permit, but can actively try to dissuade. This group were more experienced, so picked keyhole as a shorter route because of the weather. Keyhole considered the canyoneering equivalent of a 'lunchtime jog'. Keyhole has small drainage (i.e. not a large region that drains into it). The overtaking group was around 2 hours later in starting the canyon, but caught up at the first rappell - only a few hundred feet in. The seven in good spirits at this time, with most experienced person acting as leader, but looking a little more worn (compared to others). Overtaking group (often done in canyoneering if one group smaller and faster) notice that last person to rappell down set up for left hand descent instead of right (costing time). Also notice group using a slow, but safer, method of rappelling. No sign of bad weather at this time. This was the last chance area to leave canyon quickly. Last sighting was as last member of team descended the first rappell (no sign of issue at this time). Faster group using quicker rappell method already setup next rappell and came back to get other group members (of fast group) and headed off. It was around this time that storm 2 hit approx 15 miles away. 1.5 inch rainfall in 30 mins. So bad that cars were swept off the road and over newly formed waterfalls - people inside drowned. This storm reached Zion around 20mins later. Fast group (3 members total) at final rappell, hear thunder and leader, who is at bottom of rappell, gets first man (nearing bottom at time of thunder) to head off alone ahead, to get him out asap, whilst leader helps second (and final) person down. This is a 6ft deep swimming section, but only takes about 5 more mins before exit of canyon. They literally go flat out to exit, no longer even looking at weather to increase speed. Leader unsure if should leave rope to speed slower group, but his rope setup requires different technique to use, and he is concerned it may actually slow them, or be dangerous if used wrong. No pre fixed ropes as canyoneering principle (generally considered) about not leaving a trace behind. Nearly 5pm at this point and losing light (not sure if canyon height and storm shadow, vs time of day affecting). Fast group leader catches up to others he sent ahead, struggling with 6ft drop as light poor. Rains and hail starts suddenly and heavy, they are about half way between final rappell and exit. Worst sudden change leader has seen. Waterfalls and runoff begin, but they are now 50yards from exit and canyon widening, still some swimming through pools that are starting toturn back into river. By the time back to road the water is waist deep in culvert (goes under road) (carpark was 5 mins hike from start of canyon) and incredibly fast flowing. Group already really concerned for the seven, as they know they must be stuck in canyon. Immediately drive to rangers to alert them (one mile drive). Ranger tries to relay report but signal jammed as so many incidents in surrounding area (including landslides). Keep driving and find secind ranger after a couple of miles, notify him. He seems uninterested in taking details. Keep driving to main ranger station another couple miles. Details taken. Worth noting park opperates on a 'you take responsibility for yourself, for checking weather and ensuring your own safety' approach, hence issuing permits when storms approaching and not recommended to go out. Park rangers trying to essentially evacuate 10,000 people out of area - roads covered in mud/landslides/downed trees. Rain stops after less than 30mins. At this time a note left on car windshield asking seven to check in with rangers. No search started that day, search begins 14 hours after note, above canyon only (due to high water in canyon). Rangers do not search canyon until next day (weds, incident on mon). Keyhole back to being traversible for novice canyoneers by the following day (tues), with no sign of what had occurred the day before. Canyon supposed to be closed, but no signs out, and this novice group allegedly had no permit per rangers, so not aware of closure. Group says they got permit that morning. They discover body and contact rangers. Approx same time rangers discover first body outside canyon. 6/7 found by end of weds, final person found 5 miles away on thurs. So sad, they all sounded like wonderful people, and really good friends, who would have tried to help each other. I hope this gives a little more clarity, I tried to just write key points/facts, sorry it's so long. I just feel like honouring people's memories means knowing the full story. Edit for accuracy.

[@JH-mp1jo]

Wow I had no idea about the chaos happening throughout the area of the storm, this was really detailed, thank you for posting it.

[@kristymoore7052]

Your summarization brought tears to my eyes. I remember the news and seeing Zion flooded, but had no idea this was also occurring.

[@xtbro78]

Thank you so much for the detailed account. It brings clarity and a timeline to this tragic event. There just was no escape for them that day.

[@SilentThundersnow]

First: Actually there's a VERY good reason Zion's doesn't allow commercial guides. This is the wilderness. It's not regulated. They intend to keep it wild. People are responsible for themselves in the wilderness. It's freedom at its best. Commercialism would ruin that completely. It's gross to think of commercialization entering our wilderness. Money corrupts everything. How long until they knock things out of the way to make their treks easier/faster etc etc? Second: The cannoneers did not know it was going to rain. They checked the weather multiple times, and there was a 'possible' chance of rain. If they had any slot canyon experience, they wouldn't have gone with ANY chance of rain, but they thought it probably wouldn't with the blue skies overhead. The chance of rain changed to 'probable ' AFTER the entered the canyon and lost cell service. Just thought I'd add this to your otherwise great explanation.

[@robertdaymouse3784]

From the picture of the 7, it is clear a couple of those people, regardless or their experience, didn't have the physical capabilities to do such a hike. IMO, the lesson to be learned is to not drag yourself down with slow moving people while doing a potentially dangerous hike.

[@Tlyna1952]

Watching your videos gives me the willies because I was a long time hiker and backpacker, going out on my own, mainly in Michigan's upper peninsula forests but also the Smoky Mountains and some in Canada. Watching these videos makes me realize how many stupid chances I took when younger and I am surprised I made it to my present age of 71. Due to injuries I received when in a car accident I can no longer do those activities. I have great memories but also now ones of, "Good grief was I really that damned stupid?" I was very, very lucky, it is sad that these people were not. I was actually dumber in that I often took off for one of my trips on a whim and never told anybody and often didn't plan on where I was going, just made last minute decisions when traveling. The only ones I didn't make was never got close to cliff edges and never, ever hiked in extreme heat as I never tolerated it well back then.

[@elainebmack]

I think you are doing a truly great service in posting these videos. A lot of boomers go hiking, influenced by their memories of their younger days, but older bodies simply don't deal with these exertions as well as they did when they were young. I'm not saying that one should never venture out and enjoy nature, but one must be better prepared and scale down expectations. Wisdom must prevail.

[@RonaldSimkin]

4:28 My theeory is that since he hiked this place every day, and knew everything so well, but was never found near the trails, he must have decided to check out a "new" place and he went off the trail to explore something. So the tragic event that ended him was not near the trail. Now all this is why we CAN reasonably know what happened -- by deduction. I mean foul play is technically a possibility, but there is no reason to suspect this so it is reasonable to discard it.

[@drewathetis5702]

I used to work at a Power Plant in Page Arizona. August 1997, 11 hikers died in the Antelope Canyon(guide lived) due to a thunderstorm 15 miles away. Very, very tragic and caution to all who venture into these caverns that the surrounding weather needs to be considered.

[@escapenguin]

Stopped near Death Valley when traveling cross country. It was so hot our shoes were sticking to the asphalt walking to a Sonic. There was absolutely nobody outside. I can't imagine hiking in that.

[@kristymoore7052]

I once watched a young father taking photos of a very squirmy baby/toddler on the shoulders of its Mom at the very EDGE of a sheer drop off at Crater Lake, Or. was convinced I would witness a tragedy…but not this time TG.

[@arguchik]

People do amazingly stupid things that put their children's lives at risk. I used to live in Vermont, and I remember seeing a story in the Lincoln, VT town newspaper about a moose that was hanging around in town. (This town is not far from the Long Trail at Lincoln Gap, so I'm not sure why a visiting moose was such big news...) The article was warning people not to get too close to the moose, with a side note about a parent who had actually put their toddler onto the moose's back. If I recall correctly that ended OK, but still...WTF? Did they think the moose would give their kid a nice, gentle pony ride?

[@tnit7554]

​@@arguchikunbelievable. 🙄

[@lindawilson4625]

All these stories are sad. Just people wanting to have fun, some trying to prove they still have "it", then there are the canyon deaths. Most people don't realize you can have a flash flood when the skies are completely clear. The storm that causes the propblem is often many miles away. Thanks for posting Kyle! Love your videos :-)

[@boowster9073]

As someone who knew Steve Arthur, thank you for the respectful way you dealt with his tragic death. He was an amazing man who is missed by many.

[@OldmanoNH]

Someone calling himself Flossy posted a picture of some Irish guy hiking on a cliff section near the Pacific Crest Trail just before a huge rock came crashing down and almost killed the guy. Then a dude whose trail name is Phoenix came forward and said he witnessed this with his own eyes. Later one ranger spoke with the man and all he said was "I hate hiking". 300K, happy new year!😀

[@_MjG_]

Nice story. Maybe real, maybe not. Most people will blindly accept a story like yours as real. I've come across way too many lies in the YT comments, to be as naive.

[@mtadams2009]

Good one, you told the story very well.

[@OldmanoNH]

Kyle's personal story Aug 23, 2022 video called "my near death experience" Guess newbies don't know about Kyle's friends Flossy and Brandon. And yes Kyle is indeed Irish, last name is O'Grady. I just made up the ranger part LOL.@@_MjG_

[@Word187]

@@_MjG_ Than you are not one of the OG viewers / subs because you don't know that story

[@whatkjsaw4461]

🤣 there’s a whole new episode PCT fun

[@feelingbetternaturally1099]

Hiking in Death Valley in Sumner is suicidal.

[@conditionallyunconditional5691]

It's a challenge similar to Mt Everest.

[@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw]

Yes. I.E. suicidal. The slopes of Everest are littered with corpses of rich a**h*les who paid fortunes thinking that some sherpa is going to carry them to the top piggyback or something. Many have NO mountain experience at all. Not quite true. They get to die on the world's highest mountain. An "experience " I suppose.

[@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw]

@ feelingbetter Re Death Valley. I'd say the clue is in the name. Nominative determinism.

[@yougotafriendinme5281]

It’s actually really sad that just because people want to take a challenge that other people actually end up in harms way trying to rescue them

[@KarenThaler-x8v]

Absolutely.

[@always_b_natural703]

We saw a flash flood while driving in late afternoon sunshine. On a hill to our right, suddenly a wall of water was coming down, out of nowhere. Thank goodness we saw it. As it wasn't very wide, my Dad was able to floor the gas peddle, and the water washed over the road behind us. It all happened so fast, and we were in a completely new area to us. All we could figure was that there must have been a very narrow crevice in the land to concentrate the water so much in one area. And it must have been raining heavily enough in the not too distant food hills to give enough water for this to happen in the first place. This happened about 50 yrs ago, and I still have vivid memories of it.

[@nlwilson4892]

Sometimes a flash flood goes a different route than the river, you can be trapped between the river and the "new river" with rising water.

[@elijahbickmore9191]

Regarding extreme heat: I was working on an archaeological dig in the Middle East several years ago when temps regularly exceeded 100. We had to hike a mile up the mountain, where we then worked for hours digging and sifting. The hike wasn’t too hard, but the extreme heat took a toll, and even more so once we started working and it just got hotter. We always carried excess water and drank plenty, constructed shade structures over our dig sites, and wore proper clothing for the heat (including keffiyas/Bedouin head wraps), and we still dealt with a few heat exhaustion and heat stroke cases when temperatures passed 115° F one week. And that was well after we had fully acclimatized, and one of the cases was a Bedouin who had lived there his whole life. Heat is no joke. In the national parks where I live (desert), the vast majority of search and rescue calls are heat-related. When it comes to risks in the outdoors, it is one of the absolute deadliest killers-in large part because of how massively people underestimate its danger. And it really doesn’t help that once heat exhaustion/stroke kicks in, your cognitive functioning becomes seriously impaired. PLEASE DO NOT EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEAT.

[@greggorsag9787]

I live “back East” in Western PA, where there are no slot canyons . One night a few years ago I was driving home when an east-west line of heavy T-storms passed over the area. Pretty soon so many roads were flooded that I had to keep doubling back to keep going in any direction. Almost floated once and stopped at several deep “rivers” flowing across roads. I made it, but the real kicker was the aftermath. A gentle stream close to my home (where my kids had caught crayfish in happier times) turned into a raging river. When the authorities pulled out the cars that had gotten pulled into it (fortunately most had been empty/parked), they were literally pulverized. Total wrecks. No windows, every panel smashed, many parts gone. Terrifying proof of the power of flooding water. Sadly, at least one person got trapped and killed in that flood. I will never underestimate flash flooding again. 40% chance of rain is way too high in a setting like the one these folks (and the smaller group) ventured into. I wonder if the warnings were adequate, but maybe you have to see a flash flood in action to give it proper respect. You can get trapped before you know it, and then it’s like a suffocating freight train coming right at you from everywhere at once.

[@trawlins396]

I live in Western PA too. GO STEELERS!!

[@roaldpage]

When I was 15 my father and I took a trip down to the states, and one of the places we stopped was The Grand Canyon. About halfway down to the bottom I began to feel overheated and like I needed to get out of the sun. My father convinced me we should keep going, because there would likely be a shady place to rest somewhere once we reached the bottom. When we got to one of the lower rest areas we discovered that there was no sufficient place to cool off, and I was beginning to feel dizzy and dry mouthed almost blacking out from the heat. I decided we could not go further or the conditions were going to kill me so we turned around to head back up the canyon. The estimated walk time back up the trail was supposed to be an hour and a half from what I can remember reading on a nearby sign post, but I knew I would not make it that long in this intense sun, so something in me awoke forcing me not only to keep climbing, but to climb faster. Driven as if the grim reaper himself were chasing me I managed to make it back up in only 40 minutes. When we arrived at the top we went into the air conditioned visitors center, and I drank water like there was no tomorrow. The rest of the day felt cloudy and dizzy. No one thought to bring me to medical services, but to my luck I survived.

[@roaldpage]

Okay, so looking back on this I began to have some questions. Primarily; why wasn't I taken to medical services? Thinking back I guess there were two factors at play here. 1st is that when I powered up in less than half the estimated time I left my father behind, and rushed to the top as fast as I could in order to get myself to a cool place out of the sun, and to get more water which we had run out of around the time I began to experience heat/sunstroke symptoms. By the time my father had caught up to me I was already somewhat back from the brink. 2ndly as Canadians who weren't very well off the thought of American medical bills was likely extremely prohibitory, and the fact that I was starting to recover by that point likely led to a judgment call that it wasn't necessary to incur thousands of dollars in medical bills. I also have a correction to make. It turns out I was already 16 by this point, because it was September 15 2008, and my birthday is in May. I managed to work out the exact day by looking back at the dates on old photos from that trip. Unfortunately there don't seem to be any photos from that day. Either because no photos were taken, or because they were lost to time. The hike was actually fairly beautiful on the way down. We met a park ranger that told us about the wildlife of the Grand Canyon, and also warned us to avoid the squirrels, because they could be carrying the black plague. This seemed absurd to us, because the black plague was falsely claimed by my school to have disappeared after its run through Europe centuries ago. I now know it is all to common among squirrels and other small rodents across North America. Around the time that heatstroke developed we had reached a less steep area with a bunch of cacti before a grove, and it was at this little grove wooded area that I eventually decided we had to turn back, because the little shade that these trees provided wasn't enough, and my temperature just kept rising.

[@davecarsley8773]

Paragraphs

[@india1422]

Right. Let's keep going to the bottom. Which means we have double the effort to get back and you are already in trouble. I hope your father wasn't fast and loose with your life again

[@Ellie-rx3jt]

I don't think you can outrun the ashcloud from a volcano that close to you. Taking some cool photos for others to find after you're gone is probably as good a thing to do in your last moments as any.

[@sarahpiaggio2693]

Yes, I expect he knew there was no point in running, but I can understand the thoughts of his wife too

[@markehrlich7534]

Pyroclastic volcanic🌋 ash flows move at hundreds of mph and are as hot as boiling water... He was dead instantly, no getting away from that one... RIP😢 .... A Reminder if you like hiking🥾 off trail in the desert 🏜️ Southwest. South American killer 🐝 bees have completely infiltrated Texas, Arizona, California, New Mexico... Look 👀 and listen👂for them. If you disturb a killer bee hive, their default response is to send hundreds of bees after you, the trespasser... You can't outrun them either

[@Menstral]

​@@sarahpiaggio2693His wife sounds like she enjoyed the insurance payout

[@littlebear274]

I wanted to know whether anyone else who was that close survived. I live in a country that's had its own share of eruptions and while luckily they're rarely fatal there have been a few incidents including a cruise that took passengers onto a volcanic island even though it was showing signs of erupting soon. It's not only the ash or lava itself that's dangerous, the air becomes very, very toxic and you can easily die from breathing those gases.

[@janellemason9852]

​@@Menstralwhat a fucked up thing to say

[@Justpets4]

I hike eagle mountain about 3 times a week, there is sooo many trails, many with steep drop offs. Everytime i go out there i take different trails and with the hope i come across a clue as to what happened to Mr. Naderi. Most of these trails lead into100's of kilometers of untamed wilderness, so if he had some sort of medical emergency (a stroke/head injury ect.) He may have just kept wandering. Hopefully one day he will be found to give the family peace 🤞

[@collinmc90]

Not sure about the trail cam in the first one but where I live in WA. Between the border patrol, forest service, hunters and conservation officers. there are a lot more cameras in the woods than people think. I found out recently that a lot of popular trail heads in WA have cameras somewhere along the access roads and on certain trails as well. There has been a couple crimes in WA solved in the last two years because of this.

[@Operator8282]

Eek! I guess no more hiking hanky-panky for me and the missus! At least without going way off trail...

[@jlt131]

yeah parks will install them to see usage and things for knowing which parks to put more money into for upgrades too.

[@collinmc90]

@@Operator8282 lol. ya it’s crazy there is a lot less wilderness out there than you think. As a hunter I find signs of people ten fifteen miles off trail some times.

[@RH-tv9hk]

Bigfoot has wised up! Hide and Seek Champion, as they say.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I'm an avid photographer but never take selfies of myself. This probably has saved my life without me even knowing it. Plus my tendency to watch videos like this keeps very cautious when I am out hiking or exploring with the camera.

[@gloomjesussecretaccount]

Its reassuring that you never take selfies of yourself. I would suggest that would be better however than taking selfies of someone else. The police would likely be called and you would certainly have to provide ID. Depending on the cop it could turn into a quagmire.

[@sarahpiaggio2693]

@@gloomjesussecretaccount That's just mean elderly English teacher talk. I avoid taking group portraits of myself as that's even more dangerous

[@1stDoNoHarm63]

​@@gloomjesussecretaccount honestly, that was funny!😂😅😂

[@gabrielleperson4794]

We hiked Coachella State Park one year. Had water in a bladder on my back, but it had a terrible taste from the new bladder and tube. Anyway, it got so bad for me that I had to run from shade to shade (Huge palm trees here and there.) I couldnt stand to have the sun on my skin. A family was coming in as we were going out. They had little children and NO water with them. We shared some of ours. Never hikinh in a desert again.

[@guenthergoller815]

One of the reasons I watch your vids. is your excellent pronunciation, wich enables me to follow the story without subtitles. Something not very common for youtubers. 10Q, Kyle!

[@rrichardson53]

Excellent video. I’ve always been sensitive to heat- and now a senior, even more so. I hike early in the mornings during the summer and in forests. I have an extreme fear of heights. As a photographer I love shots near cliffs or drop offs but no photo is worth risking your life. Lol…I’m afraid to hike in narrow canyons or caves- nope- no thank you. I live near a volcano (Mt St Helens)…. I can’t imagine an eruption happening without days of warning? Those poor people- such tragic ways to die.

[@sandy-quimsrus]

I live in a hot Town in South Australia that gets bloody hot. First year I lived here had 17 days over 100, including night . The only thing you should be doing is sitting in the steam of air conditioner.

[@lauriesmith4575]

I grew up in the deserts of Nevada; it gets hot, from about April to October. We break triples in heat from July to September. It gets so hot over the summer, you don't go out during the day unless you *need* to, you *always* wear sunscreen, and you *always* have water or something cold to drink when out and about. Death Valley is 'split' between California and Nevada; I remember going to it with my mom and grandparents to see Scotty's Castle, and that was in the early, early 1990s, and I remember how much I absolutely hated the heat- and we went early, early in the day, before the heat got too unbearable. While I love the desert state I grew up in, I was raised with this mindset: even if you *think* you're fully prepared, the desert will *prove* just how unprepared you really are. She's a cruel mistress, so to speak, and when you step into her territory, don't expect her to play by your rules, because at the end of the day, it's not your rules your playing by, but hers. And she doesn't 'lose' so to speak, willingly.

[@HannahFetzer]

Your intro finally got me on the 5th video I watched I subscribed I was like dude has a point great content dude !

[@abelis644]

Great video! The first gentleman lost here in British Columbia may have been attacked by a cougar. They roam right into town sometimes. And they are quiet and sneak up on their prey. One was in fact euthanized here in Victoria just a few weeks ago. They are very powerful hunters. One thing I noticed in the picture is that he didn't seem to be carrying a backpack or water bag. I find that very odd. EVERYONE carries backpack on hikes here. 👋🇨🇦🌠

[@williamdiedrich3729]

That was my thought also. Cougars are very numerous in Southern BC and on Vancouver Island. People often don't realize how little evidence is left after a person is killed by a wild carnivore.

[@SilentThundersnow]

Everyone around here knows that you never ever go into the slot canyons at Zion's if there's ANY chance of rain. The rain pours over the edge in huge waterfalls, and they fill up fast. Going with a large group also slows your progress. At the very least, take a satellite phone. I wonder if the rangers were clear enough to this group that a 40% chance of rain meant a 40% chance of death. However, the wilderness is not governed for good reason. We want it to remain wild, and people to choose their own risks. It's not an amusement park. We don't want it to be. So take the warnings seriously. There's nobody to babysit you out there.

[@georgemartin1498]

Thanks Kyle! Always illuminating. Some years ago I read an article written by a very well known alpinist and world champion speed skier about the risk/consequence of exposure to avalanche in which he said there are three things you need to know in the event: you are fucked, fucked, fucked. Same thing with canyoneering.

[@tomjones2348]

I've been through Death Valley. It's one of the last places I'd want to go hiking. As for the Grand Canyon, I've been there 9 times, rafted it twice....it's beautiful, but dangerous. Read the book "Death in the Canyon" by Michael Ghighieri and Thomas M. Myers.

[@EileenGallia]

I loved Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. The authors were at the park signing when I got the book. I wiped out on my ass in front on them, which led to a funny moment and a related personalisation.

[@fastinradfordable]

You rafted it twice but you’re afraid to walk around😂 #america

[@smilesfordays]

@@fastinradfordablethat’s… not what he said at all… you k?

[@sandpiperr]

@@fastinradfordable They said they wouldn't want to hike Death Valley, which they've likely driven through since there is a road through it. Death Valley is a different place than the Grand Canyon, which is where they said they'd rafted twice. #readingcomprehension

[@BonuxCouleur]

Can you drink the water of Grand Canyon safely or is it polluted with pesticide, nuclear waste and dead beavers?

[@AJShiningThreads]

Re: Vancouver Eagle Mt- ive done it yeah, its super rugged, lots of places to slip and fall and if you fall in the river they won't find you! I'm only surprised more of us don't go missing on that trail! Last time I did it I slipped on the rocks and was lucky I didn't fall into the icy water!

[@davidocallaghan6361]

I love the flow to Kyle's videos. He's turned his passion into a profession and his talent as a KZbinr is blossoming by the video. Respect. You'll get that 1 million subscribers one day Kyle.

[@1BJM]

I agree, and I'm not even a hiker!

[@dtaylor10chuckufarle]

"Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread."

[@houseofsolomon2440]

It's not shaming Steve. It's simply pointing out what to avoid. I had a teacher, used to say, 'No one is useless- they can always serve as a bad example...' In this case, Steve's decisions can help others avoid a preventable death.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

20:25, flash floods in this type of terrain are always a threat. If you do not know what the weather is going to be, stay out! Check the weather upstream where the water will be coming from. This happens way to often, and it should not.

[@MattMajcan]

for the last one i would say if theres any chance of rain in the area, dont go hiking into a canyon or any kind of flash flood prone area. if its even cloudy i probably wouldnt do it. clear skies only and a clear forecast

[@fretjebobo]

Love the stories and this channel. Would you consider throwing the metric system on screen when talking about distances and temperatures? I imagine all your international fans will appreciate it. Greetings from The Netherlands

[@mari4sol]

very great Idea

[@tylerc1932]

The thing about Eagle mountain, although close to Vancouver, you are still very much deep in the wilderness, the rainforest surrounding Vancouver is thick and vast and very easy to disappear in. It is also home to a high population of grizzlies, black bear, cougars and wolves.

[@jdearing46]

For the first one who knows where Ali ended up. The area around where he was hiking is actually rugged. He could have fallen in the river in that area and if he did they will never find him. Who knows though because hikers have stumbled across the remains of missing hikers years later just by chance.

[@papagigo1]

If Oli Naderi hiked Eagle Mountain trails every day, than he knew the trail cam was there and it would snap a picture of him . I say he's alive and well somewhere.

[@SilentThundersnow]

Over confidence because he hiked it so much, might've gotten him. It seemed harmless to go off trail, I'm guessing. So yeah, he might've gone off to the river. Makes sense.

[@carlosnyc13hiker]

I’m afraid of heights so you will never catch me on the edge of a cliff or ledge. But once my shoe lace got wrapped around one of those hook looking things on a boot that you wrap your shoelace around. Well the left shoelace somehow wrapped itself on the right boot & I went stumbling for about 10 feet & almost fell off a cliff in Moab Utah. It was terrifying. It’s like it happened in slow motion & I couldn’t stop myself. People with froze. What can you expect from anyone. All they can do is stretch out their arms. My hands & knees were pretty banged up. I now tuck my shoe laces into my boot. I also double check my laces if I’m near a cliff or ledge.

[@rebeccaperson8581]

I tripped on my own boots when that exact thing happened to me 3x sending me crashing onto cement. Finally I hammered the hooks down flat.

[@judistocker1811]

I hiked on a lot of hot days when I lived in the Phoenix area. Always started before sunrise and brought plenty of water. I wouldn’t even try Death Valley

[@Funnyandsunnydays]

I decided one day to walk to the store in 115 heat in Phoenix. I thought it's not that far, and it won't take long. That was a huge mistake. I was so hot and overheated on the way back. There was no shade. I had to take a long break by the time I reached some shade. I did make it home, but I regretted that decision and felt kinda sick, and I was very red I was overheated for sure. Don't play with the heat or you will get burned.

[@theresabromar5415]

Kyle, I watch your channel because your commentary provides safety information along with the telling of a great story. For example, when you talked about the hikers at Zion, you mentioned that the Rangers said there was only a 40% chance of rain. Hey, ordinarily, I would have thought that was a safe enough percentage to still go hiking. But now, knowing what happened to the members of that hike - when the flash flood hit - I won't even think about hiking if there's even a remote possibility of rain.

[@jeffreycarman2185]

12:52 Years ago I climbed Teewinot Mountain (12,in Grand Teton National Park. It’s a fairly technical mountain and most people rope up for at least a couple of sections of class-5 climbing. When I got to the summit the two people I was climbing with both posed for pictures standing on the summit -which is a pinnacle about 2 feet across that is not flat on top and has more than 3,000 feet of direct exposure. I was like “no thanks” and they thought it was because I’m afraid of heights. I have a healthy fear of heights, to be sure, but I didn’t want to because I didn’t think the photo op was worth that kind of risk. Standing on an uneven rock like that, one gust of wind, one tiny slip-up for one split second, would plummet to their death, for what? A photo. I just love being there, and the journey to get there. I am not overly adverse to risk, if the reward is great and the risk is relatively low. But if the only reward is a cool photo, and the risk is a decent probability of certain death… and that’s just not worth it for me.

[@KevinVenturePhilippines]

My car overheated passing through Death Valley. Luckily it was just a few hours till sunset and I had a ton of water with me to drink and to fill my radiator back up with (I prepared just in case!). My heart completely sank when it happened. That is one of the last places you want to break down!

[@p1ural391]

I hike Eagle Mountain in Golden Ears provincial park many times, but it is still easy to get lost because you weren't paying attention to the trail markers. There was a similar incident in August 2023 where a 17-year-old girl got lost on the same trail, but she found her back to the trail head after 2 days and nights in the forest.

[@troutfisher7182]

There've been so many canyoneering flooding mishaps in Zion, Antelope canyon in Az also, highly experienced people too. There's a great KZbin of some experienced guides who almost didn't make it, and they go into what they did wrong, and what they did to save themselves when they heard the water coming

[@izzatihassan1475]

For the last story, I remember something that were taught to us and it's that you shouldn't hike near rivers if it rained the night before. There is a huge chance of flash flooding even if the weather is good on the day of the hike.

[@nlwilson4892]

It can take several days for the water to rise, it just depends on the catchment. Even here in Cumbria, with rivers maybe 40 miles long it can take a couple of days. You have to know how long it takes and monitor the weather a few days before. Fortunately, England has a web site where you can look at river levels real time and graphs for the past year or so.

[@monicasmm]

I live in Phoenix where the temps in the summer are brutal, almost comparable to Death Valley’s. Even here people die trying to hike who don’t know better, to the point where the trails get closed down to keep stubborn people away. That man had so many chances to be saved yet he continued on. I can only think that he wanted to die. Walking a short distance outside even in just 115 is brutal and not fun. That death must’ve been torture.

[@sierrashere6957]

Heat stroke is nothing to mess around with, even mild heat stroke 😢

[@judithnielsen8170]

September 2015 Athens. First day of land tour. There was a heat wave 109. At noon they took us to Acropolis and I “hiked” up to top with little shade. Bought water. When I came down had iced coffee then sat on rock and knew I was about to faint! For five minutes I prayed not to faint though now I was shivering. Made it to other tour member site and returned to hotel where I fell fully clothed onto bed. I had heat exhaustion but hydrated and recovered in several hours. Seconds away from heat stroke. At next excursion I stayed in air conditioned museum!

[@rpeterson9182]

Been canyoneering in Southern Utah. If there is more than a 0% chance of rain, don’t go that day. It can rain far away from where you are, but the canyons channel that rainfall into flash floods for up to 100 miles away from the rainfall. Utah is a desert. There are plenty of days with 0% chance of rain. Just be patient and live to canyoneer many, many times in the future!

[@ericlondon2663]

When I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008 I was eating my lunch in the Sawtooths of the Smokey Mountains near a huge crevasse. Across the chasm we saw a young woman in a blue coat get to the edge......stand briefly, then she took one last step over the edge. I was hours away from anyone. My cellphone didn't get signal where I was. We just watched..... helpless. Stunned in that "Did we just see that?" state....

[@greenmountainhellhound6835]

???😮 😢 very sad

[@ericlondon2663]

@@greenmountainhellhound6835 Yes it was. We never figured out who that was BTW. About 10 thru-hikers witnessed it.

[@RosyFlamingo]

Did anyone report it to the police? Her family would be upset but would be better off knowing it ended like that, and not from foul play, or to have her status left as 'missing'.

[@bky312]

I live by Zion. If there was even a 10% chance of rain I wouldn’t be going anywhere near a slot canyon. Im sure, with a 40% chance, they were strongly warned not to go. Being experienced I’m not sure why they decided to keep going. But the fact that they were texting their family for updates on the weather shows that they knew they shouldn’t be going. The problem is , it could rain 2 drops or 3 inches. When monsoons come through you never know.

[@maryellencasterline2595]

I was saddened to hear about the hikers killed in Keyhole Canyon. I hiked and rappelled through that canyon with guides many years ago. There are areas where you can reach out touch both sides of the canyon walls; that go straight up. Other areas with waste deep water on days that don't get rain. Thank you for sharing all of the dangers when hiking.

[@SilentThundersnow]

Commercial guides aren't allowed in the canyons in Zion's. Did you guys pay for the guides?

[@bgtsy]

I love that you do share what the person could’ve done better in your humble opinion. As in all of life we learn from our mistakes so that’s so appreciated while listening to their stories Thx

[@chriswhittington294]

While hiking along the rim of the Grand Canyon with my husband & some friends, we witnessed a couple, who had placed their children in the branches of a DEAD TREE, right on the edge of a cliff, and taking photos! WTF! Unbelievable. 😧

[@robynaddie2071]

Yep! I saw people taking dangerous selfish at Grand Canyon too.

[@vickiesims1600]

your comment made my heart hurt when I read it. just horrible

[@Funnyandsunnydays]

Those people should be arrested for child endangerment

[@trawlins396]

​@@robynaddie2071that's their choice. Can't control everyone.

[@CuriousCat1121]

Everyone should take heat sickness prevention, you will learn that even at 70 degrees Fahrenheit there are risks! The risks get greater and greater every degree after that! The amount of water one must drink in the days before, day of and after to stay hydrated is way more than one might think. I work in the heat and it’s no joke!!!

[@daniellejones2411]

Great content once again. I appreciate the time & energy you put into all the research & production. Really well done.

[@VeganWellnessTribe]

S’always a good day when Kyle posts. Thank you for the stories. May they rest in peace

[@jimhenderson387]

Fascinating and sad stories, but another excellent job of telling those stories, Kyle.

[@DreamBelief]

When considering going into a canyon, particularly in arid areas, we were always told one thing - take the chance of rain the same as your chance of death. Going in when there is a 40% chance is insane and foolish

[@martharunstheworld]

The only people who travel through Death Valley in the summer are the Badwater 135 athletes. And they have to train and qualify for that extremely difficult, prestigious race. No one else should be trying any hiking in those temperatures!

[@catherinewardwell2117]

When in canyons, heed the warnings, especially of rain. Flash flooding is common in the desert. Can’t imagine hearing the water coming but having no way of climbing up and out. Ugh

[@ZebaKnight]

Thank you for all of your videos. I'm sure you have saved lives by telling the stories of people who, for one reason or another, lost theirs.

[@randallminchew6780]

I remember how hard it rained in Zion that day. We had floods all over the canyon that day. The flooding also killed some other people in a near by town.

[@dude3825]

That last pic of the volcano eruption is epic dude. RIP to my guy,

[@trawlins396]

That was a great pic..

[@lindasmal5051]

I live in South Africa and I NEVER hike in Summer. My body just won't survive the heat. But our Winters are wonderful for hiking, cold but without the snow.

[@wht-rabt-obj]

Death Valley...in the summer...at 71 years old...🤦🏽‍♀️

[@adamantium4797]

Very interesting, subscribed instantly. I like these types of stories of these ppl looking for adventures and then fate or whatever u wanna call teaches a harsh lesson it teaches a lot and also helps me feel better about my own life that is not worth much, im not rich, i dont have nice house i dont seek those types of adventures even tho i have been to a large national park before and took good pics, went hiking some distance. i have driven cars before but i dont have a car of my own. My adventure lately is just biking. And breathing fresh air. But i am a survivor and a hustler, and very resourceful. The lessons from all these stories only make me smarter. I learn from the disasters of ppl that have purpose and have better life than me. thats how i look at it. Im negative but i control it to an extent. My knowledge grows

[@DRoche911]

Wow, these are very sad and tragic stories. Thanks for bringing them to us Kyle. I find the older I got the less likely I am to put myself in dangerous situations The take away from me on any of these is to be smart and always error on the side of caution.

[@jaylambert599]

As a Utah native, the takeaway is DO NOT GO HIKING IN SLOT CANYONS IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE OF RAIN. This happens every few years. It's a lesson hikers don't seem to learn as a group.

[@chrissymcal3146]

If hiking in a canyon check the weather in all surrounding areas as well as the immediate area

[@blairkimberlin3447]

take away for the canyon story....do not hike a slot canyon if there is any chance of rain. I've never been up there without rangers emphasizing the danger rain can pose. the canyons are narrow, steep and fairly smooth so no way to climb out. the sand/ground is hard packed so rain isn't absorbed, it builds up on top and slams into the canyons. plus, depending on where the rain starts you may encounter a lot of debris that's picked up and shoved along. if you hike terrain/conditions that you are not familiar with the smart thing to do is research before you go

[@crzyking6821]

Ill leave this One Piece of advice. IF your planning to Treck a SLOT CANYON hike Make ABSOLUTELY SURE of the weather Forcast. That 3 days Before and 3 Days Prior. If rain falls 3 days prior to your Canyon Slot Canyon Hike it could Get You Immediately if a couple days after it Could Hit that Day. Slot Canyon hiking NEEDS A CLEAT weather pattern before and after.

[@seewobble7048]

"3 days before and 3 days prior" mean the same thing.

[@roweng.4245]

A few years ago, I visited a massive waterfall in Iceland, and a young Japanese couple were taking photos; as I watched the young man climbed over the safety rail and went to the very edge of the cliff for his companion to photograph him. I didn't want to startle him by shouting, but when he returned informed him (in Japanese) that he was being "a F**ng idiot" who could not only lose his own life, but cause a great deal of trouble and distress to other folks. He didn't argue - I think he was so surprised at a white haired elderly tourist knowing that sort of Japanese. (My vocabulary is limited but pointed, being mostly learned from friends.)

[@chrisran24]

Canyoneering in Zion and similar areas, I never canyoneer with a chance of rain, though I watch radar and better weather maps than they had. I also have the advantage of hearing their story, so I guess you could say they’ve helped keep me safe learning from what happened to them. We often make mistakes learning something relatively new, but they had very unlucky circumstances mixed with the fact that they were just starting, they were a large group, and they likely weren’t rushing through the beginning.

[@darlenepoppele]

Kyle, I just love your candid story telling! You are one of the best! Keep up the great work. You make my old lady heart smile.

[@soulsharts]

Hiking in high heat is no joke. 2 summers ago I planned around a 7 mile walk in 103F heat and thought I'd be fine because I had my Camelbak which holds 2liters, I think, of which I fill with both ice and water. I must have been a third of the way before I started being worried because I was drinking my water quite frequently and splashing a little on my hand to toss on my head and neck. Thankfully I knew of a shortcut back home that cut 1.5 miles off my walk. I ran out of water with around 1.5 miles left to go. The last like half mile I was starting to feel faint, beginning signs of overheating. It wasn't sooooo dramatic, my only point is that any exercise when it's really hot out can be quite dangerous.

[@lyndawonders8192]

I've been in that canyon numerous times. More of a beginner technical canyon but very narrow throughout. The foto was taken in a break in the canyon that opens up. When you pick up your permit and their is a 40% chance of flash flooding you don't go! Even much less of a percentage, you don't go. I recall this story when it happened and thwy were scattered even as far as into pine Creek, another slot canyon using the same drainage. A terrible outcome and very very sad.

[@twistoffate4791]

If I had been the person who noticed Steve Curry and the poor condition he was in, then I would've thought his mind would not necessarily be in good shape, either. Personally, I would've wanted to call for emergency assistance. But then again, Kyle said helicopters weren't a possibility due to the condition of the air, which is new to me. I feel for Curry's family.

[@Operator8282]

Hot air and/or high elevation are weather that are difficult for helicopters As Kyle said, the air can be just too thin for a helicopter not set up for those operations. Most military helicopters are set up for these operations, but it may be too expensive for civilian or regular government entities to set up their helicopters this way.

[@sandpiperr]

So you're saying you would have what? Kidnapped him? Blaming the reporters who took the picture is stupid because, much like how his wife couldn't truly stop him from going, they couldn't force him to leave if he refused.

[@SilentThundersnow]

Adults should be allowed to assess and choose their risks. If we take those rights away, we take away their freedom. Death is hard to accept as payment for freedom, but it's the only way we can preserve our independence and autonomy. If other people are making dangerous decisions for us, that's different. It should be regulated. But not our choices for ourselves. I think the reporter did assess that he seemed in his right mind, so there was really nothing anyone could or should do. But I don't think your idea is stupid, if they sent someone out to offer him help, he might've taken it. So I probably would've asked them for a wellness check too.

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

They never said anything about the reporter, just that they “would’ve wanted to call for emergency assistance”. It was about what THEY would want to do!

[@antoinettesepulveda811]

WOW,THESE ARE SO SAD,I've been watching all your story, I love the technology because we get to see things either as it's happening or right before it's happening or as it's happening. I love you so I've been watching it forever anyway you do a great job she's doing a great job pronouncing their names because I wouldn't be able to do none of that Your Awesome ❤❤

[@cristinesomerville4522]

My heart truly breaks for the 7 hikers who died in the flash flood. Wow the loss of 7 lives is a tragedy of unimaginable magnitude… like im literally speechless… how absolutely horrible… my deepest and most truly heartfelt condolences to all of their family members and friends…

[@adamantium4797]

Fascinating also what life throws at them after they took their last picture smiling together. Feeling alive and then they die.

[@DreamBelief]

One critical thing we almost never teach as people are growing up is to recognise and accept your limits. I can understand why people don't like to teach that. We like people to think they can do anything, but it's reality, and an important part of survival

[@clayhackney3514]

I left a piece of chicken on a cutting board in death valley while setting up the stove and when I turned back around it had become a desiccated piece of cooked rubber, never seen anything like it.

[@kmdiamond]

I've tried googling myself thinking this would happen and there was literally nothing about me and I sort of feel left out, no one wants to stalk me. I can see why no one would want to steal my identity though. There's NO way you'd be any off being me.