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Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite
Gripping accounts of all known fatal mishaps in America's first protected land of scenic wonders.
608 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2007
109 people are currently reading
1664 people want to read
About the author
Michael P. Ghiglieri
13 books31 followersMichael P. Ghiglieri grew up at Lake Tahoe, Nevada as the great grandson of a Forty-niner, served as a US Army platoon sergeant during the Viet Nam era, then earned his Ph.D. in Ecology in 1979 from the University of California at Davis for his pioneering research on wild chimpanzees in Kiable Forest, Uganda. In addition to teaching university courses in primate behavior and ecology and in human evolution and ecology, he has directed several semesters-over-seas centers focusing on sustainable resource management (in Kenya, the Turks & Caicos, Palau, Far North Queensland, and Vancouver Island) and has worked as a wilderness river guide and EMT. Since 1974 he has run more than 660 commercial whitewater trips and also treks in Ethiopia, Java, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rwanda, Sumatra, Tanzania, Turkey, and the USA. These include 140+, 2-week rowing or paddling trips through Grand Canyon and more than 43,000 miles of river overall, a few in the Canyon as an NPS ranger, plus several Kilimanjaro ascents.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 18, 2018
Living in California, my family enjoys camping and hiking in the historic Yosemite National Park that lies in the western Sierra Mountains. I never knew much about the history of the park but was aware of the dangers that hiking in the wilderness can present. This book does a good job in covering in detail the long history of Yosemite but also provides details (and valuable lessons) on where hikers or climbers can go terribly wrong in the choices that they make. The park has amazing beauty but every year people die in it.
The two seasoned authors are perfect to write a book like this, both men have made it their lives to live/guide people in the wilderness as well as help people who get into trouble. Visitors make so many simple mistakes that can cost them their lives. Staying on the path is important as well as not ignoring safety barriers. My family has witnessesed backpackers that were inexperienced and ill prepared as they set out for a "adventure" as well as hikers going into the water when it was obviously too dangerous.
The book covers rock climbing accidents, drownings, bear attacks and even murder. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys visiting our National parks because of the lessons it provides but this book is not for the squeamish! Four stars.
The two seasoned authors are perfect to write a book like this, both men have made it their lives to live/guide people in the wilderness as well as help people who get into trouble. Visitors make so many simple mistakes that can cost them their lives. Staying on the path is important as well as not ignoring safety barriers. My family has witnessesed backpackers that were inexperienced and ill prepared as they set out for a "adventure" as well as hikers going into the water when it was obviously too dangerous.
The book covers rock climbing accidents, drownings, bear attacks and even murder. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys visiting our National parks because of the lessons it provides but this book is not for the squeamish! Four stars.
February 25, 2015
Four stars for the data, one star for the writing. "And now, let's turn to some incidents that were truly... (dons sunglasses) off the wall." Weird moralizing about marijuana use aside, this is a fantastically researched and thoroughly fascinating compendium of fatal accidents in Yosemite, and obviously a labor of love.
Here is a chart that shows up at the end of the book, summarizing fatalities by category. I'm always amazed that people aren't more terrified by driving. Clearly getting in an car is one of the most dangerous things a human being can do.
The "homicide" chapter starts out with a bunch of Native American attacks against white people. I'd forgotten that Yosemite is named after the tribe that lived there! They weren't too fond of the newcomers trying to make a park out of their lands. It's weird to read about this bloody cycle of ambushes and reprisals that happened in the 1850's. 150 years doesn't seem THAT long ago does it?
MORE RECOMMENDATIONS
If you're the kind of person who would read an encyclopedia of Yosemite fatalities, you will definitely enjoy these as well:
1. The Hunt for the Death Valley Germans
Crazy, true story, told by this guy whose hobby is searching for the remains of people who got lost and are presumed dead, but whose remains were never found. ("Lost & Not Found," in the Yosemite book's taxonomy.) Contains the most chilling sentence I've ever read:
2. The Great Big Book of Horrible Things
A must-read for anyone fascinated by fatality statistics, The author attempts to quantify exactly how many people died in history's greatest atrocities-- Stalin's purges, the Khmer Rouge, Ghengis Khan's assaults, etc. Ghengis Khan killed a LOT of people. Mountains of skulls.
3. Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2014
They publish these every year, but I haven't been able to find a compendium. Accident reports with lessons learned. As the Boy Scouts say: be prepared.
Here is a chart that shows up at the end of the book, summarizing fatalities by category. I'm always amazed that people aren't more terrified by driving. Clearly getting in an car is one of the most dangerous things a human being can do.
The "homicide" chapter starts out with a bunch of Native American attacks against white people. I'd forgotten that Yosemite is named after the tribe that lived there! They weren't too fond of the newcomers trying to make a park out of their lands. It's weird to read about this bloody cycle of ambushes and reprisals that happened in the 1850's. 150 years doesn't seem THAT long ago does it?
MORE RECOMMENDATIONS
If you're the kind of person who would read an encyclopedia of Yosemite fatalities, you will definitely enjoy these as well:
1. The Hunt for the Death Valley Germans
Crazy, true story, told by this guy whose hobby is searching for the remains of people who got lost and are presumed dead, but whose remains were never found. ("Lost & Not Found," in the Yosemite book's taxonomy.) Contains the most chilling sentence I've ever read:
At this point they entered into a survival situation, but may not have fully appreciated that fact.Trust me, in context this is terrifying. I still think about that German family sometimes, lost in the hot desert with their young kids. They weren't crazy; they made a series of reasonable but flawed decisions, which made the situation gradually worse and worse until it was too late to recover. Could happen to you.
2. The Great Big Book of Horrible Things
A must-read for anyone fascinated by fatality statistics, The author attempts to quantify exactly how many people died in history's greatest atrocities-- Stalin's purges, the Khmer Rouge, Ghengis Khan's assaults, etc. Ghengis Khan killed a LOT of people. Mountains of skulls.
3. Accidents in North American Mountaineering 2014
They publish these every year, but I haven't been able to find a compendium. Accident reports with lessons learned. As the Boy Scouts say: be prepared.
September 6, 2011
Almost 600 pages of every kind of DEATH in Yosemite. Dropping over the falls? Yes! Falling while climbing? Check. (Conveniently separated into death while roped and death while free climbing!) Death while caught in snow storms? Absolutely! If you can think up a death, it's here. Welcome to the DEATH PARK. Highly recommended for reading while you are camping in the park!
December 24, 2010
I can't say that I'm entirely proud of reading a nearly 600 page book detailing the 869 "non-natural" deaths in Yosemite from 1851- 2006. And I definitely could have skipped the "Homicide" chapter and in fact really wish I had. Otherwise though, this book is an utterly fascinating account of every type of accidental death you could imagine occurring in a national park full of high cliffs, waterfalls, fast-moving rivers, avalanches, snowstorms and wild animals. (I also learned that “avulsed” is not a word you ever want used in association with your body.)
One of the saddest chapters details the destruction of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in order to provide cheap water to the city of San Francisco. John Muir, in his book The Yosemite, wrote: “Nevertheless, like anything else worth while, from the very beginning, however well guarded, they have always been subject to attack by despoiling gain seekers and mischief-makers of every degree from Satan to senators, eagerly trying to make everything immediately and selfishly commercial…”
The authors try hard to avoid blaming the victims but in many cases “accidents” only occurred because people (statistically young, male people) behaved in foolish, dangerous, ill-considered ways that inevitable led to disaster. They spend a little time talking about the moral implications of over-estimating your own abilities and then waiting for rescue workers to save you, at great personal risk and economic cost.
I really, really want to visit Yosemite now (and thanks to this book I won’t be wading in any rivers at the top of waterfalls or wandering off the trail with no jacket, food or water).
One of the saddest chapters details the destruction of the Hetch Hetchy Valley in order to provide cheap water to the city of San Francisco. John Muir, in his book The Yosemite, wrote: “Nevertheless, like anything else worth while, from the very beginning, however well guarded, they have always been subject to attack by despoiling gain seekers and mischief-makers of every degree from Satan to senators, eagerly trying to make everything immediately and selfishly commercial…”
The authors try hard to avoid blaming the victims but in many cases “accidents” only occurred because people (statistically young, male people) behaved in foolish, dangerous, ill-considered ways that inevitable led to disaster. They spend a little time talking about the moral implications of over-estimating your own abilities and then waiting for rescue workers to save you, at great personal risk and economic cost.
I really, really want to visit Yosemite now (and thanks to this book I won’t be wading in any rivers at the top of waterfalls or wandering off the trail with no jacket, food or water).
December 4, 2007
I loved this book. I've worked for the park service and regularly read the in-house newsletter about the stupid stuff people do in the parks. Since they are maintained as wild areas, it is easy to get into trouble. Excellent, if queasy look at the wild side of life.
June 15, 2023
In this book the authors recount various deaths that occurred in Yosemite National Park, dividing them by cause and discussing what could have been done to prevent them. One of the authors was a National Park Ranger at Yosemite for many years and is often able to give us a first-person view on various search and rescue operations that took place.
August 11, 2016
Breakfast/lunch book, so it took a long time to read. I didn't like this as much as the Yellowstone book (Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park - longer, much more detail - but it was worthwhile reading. Shared bits with my husband, who has been on a few hikes in Yosemite.
7/14 - Interesting reading; waterfalls first, then airplanes, now hiking. So many guys not thinking, winning the Darwin Award for Being Too Stupid to Stay on a Trail.
7/25 - Finished sections on wall-climbing and drowning. So many people drowned, and took their would-be rescuers with them. If you are a climber or find it interesting, there are many, many details of how various bits of equipment - including the thinking parts of climbers' brains - failed. For those of us who like flat ground, tyvm, the authors have included a glossary of climbing terms.
7/28 - The deaths by flora/fauna starts with a very sad story of a little boy gored by a deer. The section on deaths by bears seems primarily to be a LOT of background on the early 20th century stupidities wherein many/most of the animals, not just bears, in Yosemite were hunted in an attempt to get them out of the park; this was apparently NPS policy. Sorry, my eyes are glazing over.
8/2 - Finished the section on suicides. Apparently many people find Yosemite the right place to end their lives.
8/9 - finished. Yosemite even had a serial killer, responsible for at least 4 murders.
7/14 - Interesting reading; waterfalls first, then airplanes, now hiking. So many guys not thinking, winning the Darwin Award for Being Too Stupid to Stay on a Trail.
7/25 - Finished sections on wall-climbing and drowning. So many people drowned, and took their would-be rescuers with them. If you are a climber or find it interesting, there are many, many details of how various bits of equipment - including the thinking parts of climbers' brains - failed. For those of us who like flat ground, tyvm, the authors have included a glossary of climbing terms.
7/28 - The deaths by flora/fauna starts with a very sad story of a little boy gored by a deer. The section on deaths by bears seems primarily to be a LOT of background on the early 20th century stupidities wherein many/most of the animals, not just bears, in Yosemite were hunted in an attempt to get them out of the park; this was apparently NPS policy. Sorry, my eyes are glazing over.
8/2 - Finished the section on suicides. Apparently many people find Yosemite the right place to end their lives.
8/9 - finished. Yosemite even had a serial killer, responsible for at least 4 murders.
June 29, 2024
Papyrus font
February 7, 2015
Pretty good book,
has special meaning for me because one of the climber who died,
we had climbed together 3 years before his death.
I remember him.
Also so many of the places.
I've climbed nutcracker, braille book, church bowl, glacier point apron,
bishops terrace, Royal arches, Washington column,
and several other places other people had accidents at.
Each incident, I'd remember back when I was there,
who I was with, and what the climb was like.
A bit scary, and there but for...
has special meaning for me because one of the climber who died,
we had climbed together 3 years before his death.
I remember him.
Also so many of the places.
I've climbed nutcracker, braille book, church bowl, glacier point apron,
bishops terrace, Royal arches, Washington column,
and several other places other people had accidents at.
Each incident, I'd remember back when I was there,
who I was with, and what the climb was like.
A bit scary, and there but for...
April 16, 2018
I read this as preparation for my first visit to Yosemite. Just like Ghiglieri's similar book "Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon," this introduces the reader to the history of the park in a way that is definitely Not Boring! Since I am naturally cautious, I didn't need to have my consciousness raised about the dangers of, say, getting too close to the edge, or of swimming just above a 1000+ foot waterfall. However, I can get turned around in a department store, so I actually did pick up some good tips about how not to get lost, and how to self-rescue or how to assist your rescuers in case you are lost. The story about a lake full of bales of marijuana is priceless.
August 12, 2024
I read these types of national park books to learn more about the specific park’s history and, as a former reporter, I just want to know what has occurred. With one of the co-writers being a ranger, this book has personal accounts and more perspective from a park employee. Since climbing accidents were a huge chunk of the book, the ranger— an experienced climber as well who participated in rescues— proved much insight into these events. This book—unlike some of the other park books— also included some miraculous accounts of those who lived as well, which I appreciated. That’s what made this book more bearable. I did have trouble with the homicides chapter, though. After reading the book with quotes from legendary John Muir, I decided I will read some of his books.
January 23, 2025
Book was great! Really well written. Does a great job at emphasizing the dangers while still speaking to the beauty.
October 8, 2024
I recently spent a week in Yosemite and Off the Wall caught my attention at one of the visitor centers. After wading through the nearly 600 pages of this well-researched book, I was shocked at the poor decision making that led to so many senseless, tragic deaths at one of the most beautiful places in the world.
March 24, 2014
I have a tradition of visiting Yosemite at least twice a year since I first visited her back in 1988 for my honeymoon. I've backpacked, hiked, camped, have amazing bear encounters there for decades now and at one point even swore off of visiting the valley and mainly just visited outside it mainly up in Tuolomne driving up there through Tioga bc I found it too crowded in the valley. But I couldn't stay away too long. I live 367 miles from Yosemite village, and I make my pilgrammige every year because my soul needs it. I wish I had read "Off the Wall" much sooner but I'm ecstatic I finally have. The research and all of the work put into this book is phenomenal. Ive read a lot of books about the parks history, but this book showcases Yosemite's historical and modern allure that will forever be a struggle with those that John Muir calls, " despoiling Gain seekers and mischief makers of all degree from Satan to senators, " with those that want Yosemite untouched and unspoiled for generations and generations to come. Having worked in the area of Intensive Care also helps me appreciate the dedication it takes to help preserve human lives. Taking care of people helps one appreciate life from a unique perspective. I personally think the subtitle to this book should've been "The effects of SVTTP and it's effect on the male brain." Too much? Maybe? Enjoy the lessons in this book! Life isn't permanent and if you fall, you will die! They have a sign like this along some of the roads leading down into Switzerland.
September 18, 2007
This book chronicles all of the deaths (and some of the close-calls) that have occurred in Yosemite National Park, starting before it was even a park. Yes, it appeals to the macabre in everyone, but some of the stories are quite memorable and fascinating.
A lot of work went into researching some of the stories, many of which are of the "truth is stranger than fiction" and "what were you thinking?" sort. (Like the fellows who decided to creep to the very edge of a waterfall by scooching along slowly in a bottoms-down crabwalk. This did not end well...)The stories sometimes lapse into a didactic tone, with a few too many cliches thrown in. And, I often found myself getting bogged down in details that would be interesting to some, but not all, readers.
Overall, this was an entertaining read. I found myself unable to resist relating several of the stories to friends and family, however gruesome and inappropriate. Let your loved ones beware.
A lot of work went into researching some of the stories, many of which are of the "truth is stranger than fiction" and "what were you thinking?" sort. (Like the fellows who decided to creep to the very edge of a waterfall by scooching along slowly in a bottoms-down crabwalk. This did not end well...)The stories sometimes lapse into a didactic tone, with a few too many cliches thrown in. And, I often found myself getting bogged down in details that would be interesting to some, but not all, readers.
Overall, this was an entertaining read. I found myself unable to resist relating several of the stories to friends and family, however gruesome and inappropriate. Let your loved ones beware.
August 25, 2011
What a fantastic book! Of course, I have a morbid fascination with death and dying. My mind marvels at how we can be here one minute and completely gone the next. I also happen to be enamored with Yosemite. I love it there. It is THE most gorgeous place on earth. But, it is also a very wild, natural place. Nature can be extremely vicious. It's relentless, it's unforgiving, and it can turn on you in the blink of an eye. Trees fall, granite cracks and breaks away falling onto people, flooded rivers sweep people away, waterfalls go much quicker than they look and ... snow can leave you very disoriented and lead you off trail until hypothermia takes away your last breath.
It was an incredible documentation of the dangers of nature, also the allure of killing oneself in a place of such peace and tranquility. It also shows the dark side, those cruel, heartless murders that have taken place within it's boundaries. What a great book.
It was an incredible documentation of the dangers of nature, also the allure of killing oneself in a place of such peace and tranquility. It also shows the dark side, those cruel, heartless murders that have taken place within it's boundaries. What a great book.
October 26, 2018
I ran out of time on the library loan and had to abandon this highly engrossing gore-fest, but not before learning that (mostly) young men do astonishingly stupid things. Sorry for this sexist-sounding takeaway, but OH MY GOD DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF A RUSHING RIVER POISED TO GO OVER A 200-FOOT WATERFALL IS THE BEST IDEA YOU COULD COME UP WITH????!!!
So many deaths. So many "shortcuts" gone horribly awry. So many people jumping off cliffs with those hang-gliding thingies who get caught by winds and turned into hamburger as they get meat-tenderized against cliff walls.
This book gave me one nightmare in particular. It had to do with smoking hot asphalt and failing brakes on a truck.
If you're a hiker, you have a moral duty to read this, or the similar book about deaths in the Grand Canyon (can't remember the title offhand). You owe it to your mother and anybody else who loves you. Don't do stupid things.
So many deaths. So many "shortcuts" gone horribly awry. So many people jumping off cliffs with those hang-gliding thingies who get caught by winds and turned into hamburger as they get meat-tenderized against cliff walls.
This book gave me one nightmare in particular. It had to do with smoking hot asphalt and failing brakes on a truck.
If you're a hiker, you have a moral duty to read this, or the similar book about deaths in the Grand Canyon (can't remember the title offhand). You owe it to your mother and anybody else who loves you. Don't do stupid things.
May 16, 2016
"Death in Yosemite," or "Terrible Things Happen to Stupid Men"
A few choice excerpts:
"Rowlands, shocked, noted that Stayner seemed proud of himself for having waited so long before actually murdering women."
"Revealingly, every one of these fatal mistakes was made by a male--no woman in Yosemite is known to have shortcutted and paid for it with her life."
A few choice excerpts:
"Rowlands, shocked, noted that Stayner seemed proud of himself for having waited so long before actually murdering women."
"Revealingly, every one of these fatal mistakes was made by a male--no woman in Yosemite is known to have shortcutted and paid for it with her life."
June 12, 2016
Very engaging write-up of they myriad ways people have died in Yosemite. Lots of outright stupidity, foolhardiness, and craziness. Some of the stories were rather scary or sad, though.
All the warning signage on the rocks near the Yosemite waterfalls make a lot more sense having read this book...
All the warning signage on the rocks near the Yosemite waterfalls make a lot more sense having read this book...
June 12, 2022
I opened this book out of morbid curiosity, but what really kept me reading wasn't the deadly situations themselves, but the elaborate rescue and recovery efforts. Butch Farabee's involvement here is key -- he experienced many of these events firsthand, and his stories and observations are fascinating. I've read several of the "Death in national parks" books and this is easily one of the best.
April 16, 2013
(Sung to the Monty Python tune "Nothing quite as wonderful as money")
There is nothing quite a wonderful as dead people
There is nothing quite a wonderful as that.
They throw themselves of cliffs and waterfalls and make a resounding splat!
There is nothing quite a wonderful as dead people
There is nothing quite a wonderful as that.
They throw themselves of cliffs and waterfalls and make a resounding splat!
November 22, 2024
I really wanted to like this one. My daughter and her family live in Yosemite, and I visit pretty often. I would like to not die there. I bought a secondhand copy online because I couldn't get an ebook or audiobook from the library, and I knew I wouldn't be able to get through a paperback before my loan ended. I figured I would read it and then pass it on to my daughter. I still might, because she gets a lot of house guests and someone might want to flip through it. I didn't start out flipping through it. I thought I was going to read the whole thing.
I didn't like the writing style. I thought the overuse (and misuse) of quotation marks was extremely distracting and annoying. I was irked when the authors threw in some wild stories of survival. That is not what the title says! And I got bored. Very, very bored. I powered through to the end of chapter 7 (skipping over the chapter about aviation, since I will never fly into Yosemite) and then I skipped to the chapter about flora and fauna. I skimmed through and saw a lot of stuff about grizzlies in Yellowstone. That is not what I signed up for! There are black bears in Yosemite, and they will most likely leave you alone unless you do dumb things.
I'll save you from having to read this beast. Don't be a dumbass. Stay on marked trails, pay attention to signage, do a little research into weather conditions, proper gear, closures, and so forth online before you go. Make sure you have enough drinking water and any medication you need. Stay out of the water. The granite is slippery and there's algae. The currents are stronger than you are. If you drop something in the river, it's gone. The deer are more of a threat to you and your dogs than the bears are. Do not leave one single scented item in your car. A bear will break in to get a Chapstick or baby wipes. Tell people where you're going. Don't try to climb Half Dome if you haven't done any intentional exercise in six years.
I didn't like the writing style. I thought the overuse (and misuse) of quotation marks was extremely distracting and annoying. I was irked when the authors threw in some wild stories of survival. That is not what the title says! And I got bored. Very, very bored. I powered through to the end of chapter 7 (skipping over the chapter about aviation, since I will never fly into Yosemite) and then I skipped to the chapter about flora and fauna. I skimmed through and saw a lot of stuff about grizzlies in Yellowstone. That is not what I signed up for! There are black bears in Yosemite, and they will most likely leave you alone unless you do dumb things.
I'll save you from having to read this beast. Don't be a dumbass. Stay on marked trails, pay attention to signage, do a little research into weather conditions, proper gear, closures, and so forth online before you go. Make sure you have enough drinking water and any medication you need. Stay out of the water. The granite is slippery and there's algae. The currents are stronger than you are. If you drop something in the river, it's gone. The deer are more of a threat to you and your dogs than the bears are. Do not leave one single scented item in your car. A bear will break in to get a Chapstick or baby wipes. Tell people where you're going. Don't try to climb Half Dome if you haven't done any intentional exercise in six years.
October 11, 2021
I found this a fascinating read, combining accounts of all kinds of misadventure in the park, with a good dose of history and politics to contextualise these experiences. It also combines this with some data analysis to tease out some of the common elements of fatal episodes, in an attempt perhaps to prevent more in the future.
Generally the writing is serviceable, although there were chunks which digressed into rather biased moralising, at times contradictory. For a park which I am sure has seen ever-increasing visitor numbers over the decades, and yet fatalities reduce over the same period, it doesn't make sense to insert a judgemental passage about young people staying home to play video games. Comments on the fate of those suffering severe mental illness have also not aged well, and I can't be the only reader cringing every time a young female homicide victim is described as "pretty".
Despite these shortcomings, the book covers some fascinating events that made for a compelling read. Especially at a time when I can barely travel beyond my front door, it certainly gave me a taste of the wilderness adventure I have been missing, as well as an introduction to the features of Yosemite for when I eventually get to visit.
Generally the writing is serviceable, although there were chunks which digressed into rather biased moralising, at times contradictory. For a park which I am sure has seen ever-increasing visitor numbers over the decades, and yet fatalities reduce over the same period, it doesn't make sense to insert a judgemental passage about young people staying home to play video games. Comments on the fate of those suffering severe mental illness have also not aged well, and I can't be the only reader cringing every time a young female homicide victim is described as "pretty".
Despite these shortcomings, the book covers some fascinating events that made for a compelling read. Especially at a time when I can barely travel beyond my front door, it certainly gave me a taste of the wilderness adventure I have been missing, as well as an introduction to the features of Yosemite for when I eventually get to visit.
July 19, 2017
A useful if disturbing compilation of the fatal errors and bad luck episodes of Yosemite, I read this after the similar "Over the Edge" about the Grand Canyon, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. The book is part Park history (a lot of people died during construction or resource extraction, as well as carriage fatalities), part cautionary SAR tale (many of these people are here to serve as an example to others, don't hike alone without telling anyone where you're going and then decide you're going to take a "shortcut" you made up off trail), and part grisly true-crime novel (I admit I didn't read about half of the last chapter on homicides -- not conducive to sleeping afterwards!). Well written, and I appreciated how the cases chosen for highlighting rather than mere listing were often ones that one of the authors had worked the rescue on -- that kind of personal touch and insight were very valuable to understanding that person's experience.
January 21, 2020
This is such a good read! Ghiglieri and Farabee provide an excellent history of Yosemite categorizing, chronicling, and providing context for each fatality. It's not to place blame, but find how/why each person met their demise to prevent future fatalities. The book is broken up by types of deaths - waterfalls, wheels, hiking, lost, climbing, etc. - and gives stories how the person died or were saved. Not every death is written in detail. At the end of each chapter, there is a table with a brief description of the death. They also provide some history of Yosemite.
Be prepared. Respect nature. Stay on the trail. Inform people of your plans and when you'll return, and stick to it. Watch the weather. Turn around when your gut tells you to. Know your limitations. It can save your life.
The homicide chapter was horrific. Women were raped and murdered. Reading it was hard. Perhaps read the table at the end and save yourself.
Be prepared. Respect nature. Stay on the trail. Inform people of your plans and when you'll return, and stick to it. Watch the weather. Turn around when your gut tells you to. Know your limitations. It can save your life.
The homicide chapter was horrific. Women were raped and murdered. Reading it was hard. Perhaps read the table at the end and save yourself.
October 27, 2020
For how dark this book is, it was framed really well. The focus was definitely on prevention, and I really enjoyed the Yosemite history that was incorporated.
I bought this book specifically to read the climbing section. I wanted to know if climbing deaths are preventable, and if they are, how they can be prevented. There were a couple parts that confused me. The author said that one person who died was following up a multi-pitch, so they must have been on top rope. But the author also said that to prevent their death they should have placed more pro, which doesn’t make sense for that situation.
Overall, great book. Sometimes it read little statistics-y, but I guess it kind of had to be given the number of deaths. The darkest sections were the homicides and suicides. I wouldn’t re-read those. But I did like reading about the childhoods of the serial killers because I’d kept wondering what kind of history a person needs to turn into such a monster.
I bought this book specifically to read the climbing section. I wanted to know if climbing deaths are preventable, and if they are, how they can be prevented. There were a couple parts that confused me. The author said that one person who died was following up a multi-pitch, so they must have been on top rope. But the author also said that to prevent their death they should have placed more pro, which doesn’t make sense for that situation.
Overall, great book. Sometimes it read little statistics-y, but I guess it kind of had to be given the number of deaths. The darkest sections were the homicides and suicides. I wouldn’t re-read those. But I did like reading about the childhoods of the serial killers because I’d kept wondering what kind of history a person needs to turn into such a monster.
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December 1, 2025Despite the title, this is not a particularly grim book. It does detail deaths in Yosemite up through 2006, in straightforward detail and in thematic sections, but the thrust of the book seems to be more towards the prevention side—and quite a few of these deaths could be prevented. For instance, in the "Falls" section, the #1 cause of falls is solo hiking, scrambling (off-trail, usually on rocks or slick surfaces), and—most importantly—taking "shortcuts." Simply sticking to established trails and listening to hiking buddies would cut the death rate immensely. (And to be fair, the death rate for Yosemite really isn't high, given the millions of annual visits to the park.)
You get the sense that the narrative author (there is a co-author credited on the cover not listed here) really would like people to display common sense. You can't beat it into people's heads, but it would have made his job in Search and Rescue less fraught.
You get the sense that the narrative author (there is a co-author credited on the cover not listed here) really would like people to display common sense. You can't beat it into people's heads, but it would have made his job in Search and Rescue less fraught.
May 29, 2023
Cautionary tales of people who have died in Yosemite National Park (inspired to read by a recent trip). The research for this seems exhaustive, and maybe too thorough. I learned a lot from the chapters about people getting lost, drowning, falling off cliffs and over waterfalls and making mistakes while rock climbing. The auto accident chapter was less compelling, and the chapter on homicide was, in my opinion, unnecessarily detailed and salacious. And it was weird to have an intro stating that they weren't blaming anyone and then going on to editorialize about people being dumb or careless or using drugs and alcohol whether or not those factors contributed to their fatalities (in many cases, it's impossible to know).
July 23, 2023
Tragically sad and sometimes infuriating, I still maintain that this book is definitely worth a read, especially for anyone interested in the National Parks System. After all, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Hopefully there will be less horrific incidents at Yosemite in the future (not likely though, given the amount of tragic falls and missing persons in the 16 years since this book was published in 2007.)
A note of caution to squeamish readers (which I myself usually would ascribe myself as): there are some gory descriptions of the unfortunate victims in this book. Be warned (and maybe don't eat whilst reading.)
A note of caution to squeamish readers (which I myself usually would ascribe myself as): there are some gory descriptions of the unfortunate victims in this book. Be warned (and maybe don't eat whilst reading.)
June 7, 2019
The sheer number of deaths in this book means that by nature it is going to sound repetitive after awhile, as is the authors' message (tell people where you're going, don't try to swim, don't try to take silly photos in dangerous places, etc). I did get a few interesting stories out of this, and I've definitely considered the ways I could be a more careful hiker after reading it. The book was a bit dense though, and definitely not something you could read all the way through the first time you pick it up.
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