Fatal falls in Utah’s national parks: Incident reports show they’re rare

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah’s national parks, with their rugged, untamed landscapes, draw adventure-seekers from around the world, but their sheer cliffs and exposed trails are also places where a slight slip could lead to a deadly fall.

This reality was highlighted this week when 72-year-old John Passidomo, the husband of Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, suffered fatal head trauma in a fall Monday at Bryce Canyon National Park. While it’s yet unclear what led up to the fall, officials said he died in a St. George hospital days later.

Falling deaths in Utah’s national parks

According to Bryce Canyon incident reports, Passidomo’s death was the sixth fatal fall to happen in the park since 1989. The last time a fatal fall was recorded in Bryce was over 20 years ago when a Michigan man fell 170 feet after attempting to climb onto a hoodoo.

Husband of Florida’s senate president dies after fall during Bryce Canyon hike

These types of accidental falls are rare in Bryce, as evidenced by the fact that five people were struck by lightning in the park during that same time period, the incident reports show. It’s also important to remember that the increasingly popular park has seen roughly 2 million visitors a year since 2016.

At Zion National Park, the most visited of Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks, fatal falls are more common. It should be noted, however, that Zion is the nation’s third-most popular park, and more than 5 million people passed through its gates in 2021 alone.

Per the incident reports, more than 30 fatal falls have happened in Zion since the late ‘80s. Unlike in Bryce, several of these involved climbing and rappelling accidents, as well as falls from the popular Angels Landing hike.

As for the rest of Utah’s Mighty Five parks, Canyonlands had the second-most fatal falls over the decades with 10 instances appearing in the incident reports. Like in Zion, a number of these are climbing related, as the area is home to the Indian Creek climbing destination.

Only one fatal fall appears in the incident records for Capitol Reef National Park while four are marked for Arches National Park.

Deaths across America’s national parks

Earlier this year, Backpacker.com combed through 17 years of National Park Service data to understand how people are dying in America’s national parks.

When it came to fatal falls, the website found that 428 people died in accidental falls over that nearly two-decade period. The top spot for deadly falls was California’s Yosemite National Park, known for its towering granite monoliths such as Half Dome and El Capitan.

Per Backpacker.com’s analysis, fatal falls account for about 10% of deaths on lands managed by the National Park Service, outnumbered by car crashes, medical emergencies and suicides.

The most common fatality on national park lands was drownings, which account for 20% of deaths, the website found. The place with the most recorded drownings was Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which straddles the Nevada-Arizona border.

Tips for staying safe

Jason Curry, director of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, said visitors to national parks should keep aware of their surroundings, whether they’re viewing a breath-taking landscape or gawking at bison near the road.

“Determine what risks might be around you, especially if the weather starts changing, if the terrain is changing,” he said. “Be willing to take a pause and do a risk assessment regularly.”

The National Park Foundation advises that people should plan out their visits and choose activities that match their experience level, fitness and medical considerations.

“Stick to your intended route during your activity, unless you happen to encounter a safety hazard,” the foundation said. “Reduce your risk of serious injury by staying on designated trails and avoiding shortcuts. If you’re traveling as a group, stay together and make sure no one wanders too far.”

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