[californiadisasters] 2 Hikers Swept Away From Bridge in Yosemite

Yosemite: Hiker dead, another missing in runoff

Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

San Francisco Chronicle June 30, 2011 04:00 AM Copyright San Francisco Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

One hiker died and a second is missing after being swept away by unusually high late-season runoff as they tried to cross a bridge spanning a waterfall near Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park, authorities said Thursday.

The two men were swept into Falls Creek as they were returning from a four-day backpacking trip with three companions Wednesday, park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said.

Cobb said the hikers had no trouble crossing the Wapama Falls bridge when they set out on their trip Sunday.

By the time they returned, however, the waterfall was swollen by snowmelt and runoff from a storm that hit the mountains Tuesday, Cobb said.

The men who were swept away were at the head of the group and tried to cross the span even though water was washing over part of it, Cobb said.

"The bridge had a lot of water on it," Cobb said. "Here at the park, the way it works, you are responsible for taking your own risk and making your own decisions on safety."

The backpackers were about 5 miles from the trailhead. Cobb said they could have gotten back by taking an alternate route that would have added several miles to their trip.

One of the men's bodies was found in the reservoir. The second is still missing. Their names have not been released.

The tragedy highlights the dangers in the Sierra backcountry in a year with an unusual amount of late-season snow. Cobb noted that the snowpack is 200 percent of average, and rivers and creeks in the park are expected to remain high for several more days.

The Wapama Falls bridge was open before Wednesday's incident because "we don't typically close trails unless there has been an active hazard, like rocks," Cobb said. Rangers closed the span after the men were swept away.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/30/BA1I1K4VG6.DTL#ixzz1QpWJGMwc

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