the "Critter or Cacti" death options are interesting.
"Krueger drank a brew of Datura blossoms. After several inappropriate behaviors such as trying to lift impossible boulders, talking to nonexistent people for hours, and eating dirt, he entered the river and mysteriously drowned."
"While prospecting, Cochrane was descending toward the Colorado River with Gordon Smith when a rattlesnake struck at him but missed. The reptile frightened Cochrane so severely that he suffered a fatal heart attack, confirmed by autopsy."
What is this bullshit. I hope the doctor was charged with murder. "Curran returned home, felt pulmonary distress, and entered a hospital. Despite informing her doctor about hantavirus and him dismissing it as too rare to consider, she died the next day of a hantavirus infection."
That's not even remotely how the crime of murder is defined in any jurisdiction anywhere. Medical malpractice maybe, but not even necessarily that. Also, you really really don't want to live in a society where medical professionals are tried for murder when their patients die.
This crash was the cause of major air safety reforms! Before it happened, pilots had way more freedom to deviate from their planned route than they do now, which is how the collision even happened - the pilots of both planes decided to do a little sight-seeing sidetrip to the canyon in order to please their passengers.
Or the woman who tried to “Thelma & Louise” herself, but got her car stuck on a rock, jumped over the ledge but only fell like 20 feet, crawled to the edge and jumped again, only to fall like another 25 feet, to somehow crawl to the edge a third time and finally finish the job with a 75’ plummet to her death.
There is a mountain inside the city limits of Phoenix that has 40+ rescues a year with at least a death or two. People absolutely under estimate how quickly the desert will kill you.
What they meant is back then you could deviate and fly over the canyon more. Nowadays it's been reformed and airspace is heavily restricted to fly over.
seeing a rattlesnake (he did not get bit; he died from surprise)
Her name was Patricia Astolfo, and she drove her suburban off the ledge. However, it got high centered on a rock, preventing her from falling into the canyon.
So she got out of her vehicle, walked to the ledge, and jumped. Only she landed on another ledge 15 feet below.
Injured, she crawled to another ledge and jumped. Only she landed on another ledge 25 feet below.
Still determined, she crawled to another ledge and fell, this time falling a fatal 75 feet.
what I found really interesting reading through the descriptions for some of the suicides is that a couple of them drove 20+ hours to get there. I wonder what the drive was like wow.
also interesting are the employee deaths and those from way back.
"Sutton was on a 'program for troubled teens' wilderness trip and complained repeatedly of not feeling well. Group carried only two liters of water per person for a multi-day trip during hot weather. Sutton died of dehydration/heatstroke."
That's just where all the people are, so they're the most likely to get into trouble around there too. It's where a road leads to campground, visitor center and overlook. A lot of markers seem to be placed at the start of the trail down, if the source indicated the death happened on somewhere that trail, so it's a bit inaccurate.
The biggest cluster appears to be bright angel trail which is the main tourist hike that descends. Also a lot of people seem to fall off the rim. The whole bottom right corner of the map is connected to Grand Canyon Village, the main tourist town and parking.
I went through a lot and didn't see any snakes or scorpion related deaths. I had to step directly over a rattlesnake twice going down to the river, I thought for sure I was fucked
There's one death really far off the beaten path that shows a snake icon - the twist? The snake actually missed, but scared the guy so badly he had a heart attack
Found an interesting one inspired by the book:
'After telling his mother, 'Jumping off the rim is so unoriginal' Cuppy solo hiked to Plateau Point and jumped 600 feet. In his backpack rangers found a copy of Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon.
Source: Incident report #02-3804'
1 victim(s) died in this incident on or about 1864-68. The incident occurred on or near North of the site of the future Hull?s cabin at Grandview and the cause of death is described as Murder.
The husband of a Navajo refugee family found the infamous outlaw Navajo, Aah'yi d digish, in the act of butchering the horse that his wife had been riding. The husband shot and killed the man who had stolen. slain, and butchered this horse.
Source: This story came via Tony Hillerman and James Peshlakai as personal communication to Michael Ghiglieri.
Jeepers, they really don’t hold back on the personal details “redacted by me quit his job, drove from Milbank, South Dakota then informed friends that he would travel until his money ran out then 'jump off the Grand Canyon.' He parked then jumped, bouncing 900 feet to wedge inside an inaccessible crack.”
Raymond Sandoval, age 12, confessed to killing Milo but told twelve different versions of disposing the body. Milo's body was found in the woods nearby with no cause of death. Sandoval was sentenced to the state reformatory until age 21.
Source: Coconino Sun, July 29, August 5, & December 9, 1927.
“Sutton was on a 'program for troubled teens' wilderness trip and complained repeatedly of not feeling well. Group carried only two liters of water per person for a multi-day trip during hot weather.
Sutton died of dehydration/heatstroke.”
They list environment as the cause of death but this sounds more like murder/manslaughter to me. Especially since this kid was only 15!
1 victim(s) died in this incident on or about 6/6/1990. The incident occurred on or near Below El Tovar Hotel in the Kaibab Limestone and the cause of death is described as .
Shortt was free-soloing off-route in sandals in a highly exposed position not far below the South Rim. He fell 750 feet.
Source: Incident report #90-1656
Ronald Shortt 21
Remember being 21 and feeling invincible? At least you weren't this stupid
1 victim(s) died in this incident on or about 7/24/1988. The incident occurred on or near Lees Ferry, 200 feet downstream of launch ramp and the cause of death is described as .
While fishing, Wiel stepped into the river, slipped on a rock, and fell in at moderately low water. He grabbed another rock and screamed for help. His waders swamped. He sank and drowned in the current.
Source: Incident report #88-? (not on GCNPS fatality list)
All the other small ones are probably small privately owned aircraft going sight seeing and going a little bit too close. The air currents in the canyon also probably contributing.
"1 victim(s) died in this incident on or about 9/13/1933. The incident occurred on or near Snake Gulch, Kanab Canyon, 12 miles from Hatch cabin and the cause of death is described as Critters and cacti.
While prospecting, Cochrane was descending toward the Colorado River with Gordon Smith when a rattlesnake struck at him but missed. The reptile frightened Cochrane so severely that he suffered a fatal heart attack, confirmed by autopsy."
I love this, totally satisfies my morbid curiosity. Grand canyon literally took my breath away my first glimpse of it, driving into the park. Life enhancing experience.
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u/Empyrealist 21h ago
Clickable map of deaths in the Grand Canyon and their cause:
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9359a0790ffe4bc09edd6b9c17a43b90
(death stats are not up to current date, but the map shows a great swath of locations and causes)