Cedar Creek Falls - EPIC FAIL

Gardner · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:11 pm

July 6, 2011 (Ramona) - The U.S. Forest Service has closed Cedar Creek Falls for an investigation into a deadly fall today that killed one visitor and injured another.

The fatal accident is at least the fourth serious injury incident during the holiday weekend at Cedar Creek Falls, according to Incident Page Network. The Forest Service recently opened a new trail to make the popular destination accessible to more people.

Cedar Creek is among the most popular destinations for hikers in East County, attraction hundreds of visitors each day during recent weekends.

Today's accident claimed the life of a male hiker and seriously injured a second hiker, also male, San Diego Sheriff's department spokeswoman Melissa Aquino reports. The injured hiker has been airlifted to a local hospital.

On July 2, two different rescues were conducted at Cedar Creek Falls. Only July 3rd, an adult fall victim suffered major head injury and had to be air-lifted out.

Cedar Creek has been the scene of various injuries through the years as well as fatalities, often due to visitors jumping off rocks, being swept over the falls, or suffering rock-climbing accidents.

Rescue operations were also conducted this week from several other popular hiking trails including Iron Mountain (collapsed hiker), Mission Trails (fallen bicyclist), and Three Sisters Falls ( heatstroke suffered by two hikers.)

Canaan · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:21 pm

This is from last week -- unbelieveable that he swam away from this . . . .

bankerboy · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Stupid Darwin candidate

It is folks like that who will ruin it for everyone. They have no common sense.

OldDogDan · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:29 pm

From the signonsandiego article:
"Their concerns have prompted a possible temporary closure of the trail while law enforcement determines how best to control the area, Will Metz, forest supervisor for the U.S. Forest Service, said at Wednesday’s meeting.

The closure will likely begin within a month and could last up to a year. Metz said the move would be the first of its kind he’s seen since he joined the Forest Service 30 years ago."

Maybe it's more than 30 years, but I remember when the FS closed Black Mountain campground in Ramona. No giant falls, but small falls, lots of water and yahoos. The place got to be an absolute zoo on weekends with young Navy drunks (predominately...lots of rowdy rednecks and stoned hippies too). So they tore out the campground. Around the same time they took out two campgrounds in Tenaja, and made it a hike instead of a drive to Tenaja Falls. Definitely cut down on the partying, guns, & broken glass. Budget cuts were surely a factor in it too: maintenance & law enforcement cost.

Chadster · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:00 pm

Wow, didn't see this coming.... :roll:

The only surprise is it took so long for someone to get killed.

shano · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2011 1:14 pm

love the comment - "the gene pool needs some chlorine"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dSP6WjaR2M&feature=player_embedded#at=22

badkittyjing · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2011 1:21 pm

Gardner wrote:

Rescue operations were also conducted this week from several other popular hiking trails including Iron Mountain (collapsed hiker), Mission Trails (fallen bicyclist), and Three Sisters Falls ( heatstroke suffered by two hikers.)

Wonder who the cyclist was, what kind of injury they sustained, and what caused the accident.

DWill · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:35 pm

badkittyjing wrote:

Gardner wrote:

Rescue operations were also conducted this week from several other popular hiking trails including Iron Mountain (collapsed hiker), Mission Trails (fallen bicyclist), and Three Sisters Falls ( heatstroke suffered by two hikers.)

Wonder who the cyclist was, what kind of injury they sustained, and what caused the accident.

I can tell you it was not me this time... :domo:

bankerboy · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:50 pm

Well, it is closed for 72 hours right now. There may be longer closures looming.

closure

Funny, but one of the reason given is the high water.... :roll:

The U.S. Forest Service is closing Cedar Creek Falls in Julian for three days following the death of a 16-year-old El Cajon resident. This includes the trail heads, two main trails going in and the Cedar Creek Falls general area.

A long-term closure is to follow for an indefinite amount of time, according to public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service Brian Harris.

The park was also closed yesterday for the investigation of the teenager’s death. The victim, Joseph Meram, was hiking with his family when he slipped and fell down a steep cliff, landing in the water below. He was pronounced dead in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

“It is certainly become more of a dangerous site than it has in the past,” Harris said.

The emergency closure is not standard after a fatality. Harris said the abundance of water coming over the falls is one of the reasons the site is more dangerous.

“Normally for this time of the year (the water) would be down to a trickle,” he said.

Instead, water levels are much higher because of last winter’s abnormally rainy weather

Condolences to the family

jjthewhale · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:31 pm

Scott Forty G. wrote:

I agree!

Ali and I hiked up there about a month or so ago and was completely turned off by the type & amount of people that dominated the falls. There were smokers and a ton of rowdy drunk idiots that had complete disregard for other people. They threw their beer cans and cigarette butts onto the falls. There were also graffiti on the rocks that a good samaritan was kind enough to remove. What a shame for such a really neat place.

Just like the beach after july 4th and every weekend when its sunny!

Scott Forty G. · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:41 am

OldDogDan · **Posted:** Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:36 pm

Scott Forty G. wrote:

I was out in Hespreria (near the Mojave) PCT trail going for a nice afternoon stroll not to long ago and i came across a natural hot springs which is clothing optional(yes, i saw boobage flopping in the air) that had a really decent stream that locals access through the PCT from a paved road. The 3 mile stretch from the road to the streams/springs was just vandalized by graffiti and trash. Gigantic rocks were spray painted through out.

Sounds like Deep Creek. Quite a scene years ago when the Hell's Angels had the entrance concession via Bowen Ranch.

kevmortensen · **Posted:** Sat Jul 09, 2011 7:38 am

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011 ... eek-falls/
Closed till November. End of story for now.

SO to recap, Forest Service spends 1 million of taxpayers money to create a trail that they have no management plan in place for, resulting in multiple rescues, littering, graffiti, underage drinking, pissing off of the residents, and now a closure so that no one can use this million dollar trail.
I wonder how this experience will effect any efforts that the Mountain Bike community may have trying to get new trail built on Forest Service land?

"visitors show up wearing flip-flops instead of hiking shoes and carrying kegs of beer instead of bottles of water."
I wish i could fit a keg holder on my bike that would be awesome.

ocd · **Posted:** Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:05 am

kevmortensen wrote:

I wonder how this experience will effect any efforts that the Mountain Bike community may have trying to get new trail built on Forest Service land?

With any luck, it may help.

Unfortunately, not a lot of people in charge seem to think clearly about this. However, I think this is a perfect example of "community ownership" and an example of how beneficial it could be to land managers to put more trust and responsibility into the hands of the mountain bikers. Give a responsible and passionate group of people property to "claim ownership" of and they will take care of that property, maintain it and police it like it is their own.

Cater to "one time visitors" and you get what you have here.

Ray Dolor · **Posted:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:22 am

kevmortensen wrote:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/08/forest-service-close-cedar-creek-falls/
Closed till November. End of story for now.

SO to recap, Forest Service spends 1 million of taxpayers money to create a trail that they have no management plan in place for, resulting in multiple rescues, littering, graffiti, underage drinking, pissing off of the residents, and now a closure so that no one can use this million dollar trail.
I wonder how this experience will effect any efforts that the Mountain Bike community may have trying to get new trail built on Forest Service land?

"visitors show up wearing flip-flops instead of hiking shoes and carrying kegs of beer instead of bottles of water."
I wish i could fit a keg holder on my bike that would be awesome.

B.O.B. trailer.

Cedar Creek Falls - EPIC FAIL

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