Teen Dies In 400-Foot Fall In Yellowstone National Park On Her First Day of Work

Published Date

June 8, 2012

A young woman died in a fall from Inspiration Point in Yellowstone National Park. This is the view down canyon from the point. NPS photo.

An 18-year-old woman, on the first day of her summer job with a Yellowstone National Park concessionaire, fell about 400 feet to her death into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Park officials said the woman, out hiking Thursday evening with three colleagues along the North Rim Trail, fell into the canyon near Inspiration Point. They said she "ventured out off trail onto a loose rock promontory, which quickly gave way underneath her."

Shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday park rangers with the assistance of ground spotters and a Teton Interagency helicopter spotted the woman’s body resting approximately 400 feet down the canyon wall. They concluded that she had sustained non-survivable injuries.

Despite the hazardous terrain, the body was successfully recovered from the canyon by short-haul helicopter operation at approximately noon Friday. The victim’s identity is being withheld until next of kin can be notified.

The woman had lined up a job working with Xanterra Parks & Resorts, according to park officials, though they didn't know exactly where she was to be based in the park.

Park officials remind visitors that hiking close to canyon rims in the park is extremely dangerous. Staying on posted, designated canyon rim trails is a must due to the instability of loose dirt and rock near ledges.

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Comments

Submitted by admin on June 8, 2012 - 4:05pm.

Who exactly did she work for? Seems like she wasn't a NPS employee but maybe working for a concessionaire.

Submitted by admin on June 8, 2012 - 4:32pm.

Our hearts go out to her family. This was probably a dream job for her and I'm sure she made it through some tough competition to get it.

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on June 8, 2012 - 4:34pm.

Concessions position, Will. I'll insert that.

Submitted by admin on June 8, 2012 - 10:07pm.

Having worked in Yellowstone myself there's actually not much competition to get a job there. But it is a dream job for the location.

Such a tragedy and unfortunately it happens all too often there. Please obey the signs! They are there for a reason!

Submitted by admin on June 9, 2012 - 8:04am.

I am hoping this is not an inner city applicant who had not been in the wilderness before. Growing up in the country and having hiked many of our national parks, it has always amazed me to see "city folk" walking about as if there are stop signs and red lights where one has to be careful... most of the reports indicate she got very close to loose/shale edge and it gave way... tragic but (hindsight of course) so preventable.

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