National Park Service: Woman 'slipped and fell' to her death on the Blue Ridge Parkway

McKenna Leavens, Asheville Citizen Times
Updated ·4 min read
19

After a Greer, South Carolina, woman slipped down a steep slope last weekend on the Blue Ridge Parkway and fell to her death, officials have released a few more details and are offering tips on visiting the parkway safely this fall.

Nancy Sampson, 61, was traveling with her husband the afternoon of Sept. 23 when she "slipped and fell" down a steep cliff on the parkway north of Asheville, Leesa Brandon, parkway spokesperson told the Citizen Times by email.

"Witness accounts indicate the leaves and vegetation appeared slippery when Ms. Sampson stepped into the area where she lost her footing. Mrs. Sampson was standing on a rock outcropping at the overlook in an authorized area adjacent to the MST (Mountains-to-Sea Trail) when she slipped and fell," Brandon said.

Sampson died as a result of injuries from her fall at Glassmine Falls Overlook, Milepost 361, in Buncombe County according to a National Park Service news release.

"At this time no additional signage in the area is planned," Brandon responded when asked if safety signage would be posted in the area.

Nancy Sampson died as a result of injuries from her fall at Glassmine Falls Overlook, Milepost 361.
Nancy Sampson died as a result of injuries from her fall at Glassmine Falls Overlook, Milepost 361.

According to Brandon there was no sign at the site that warned visitors not to climb over the roughly 3.5-foot-high stone wall.

"Fences and rock walls are common features at parkway overlooks. They are both part of the designed landscape and typically an informal reminder to enjoy the view in a designated area," Brandon said.

Sampson's death is the sixth fatality on the parkway this year, according to Brandon.

Sampson's husband, Robert Sampson, said she was a retired human resources director who worked part-time at an Ingles market in Greer, according to reporting from the Guardian.

"Her larger-than-life smile touched everyone she met. Her personal touch with everything she did for people made them feel special," Robert Sampson wrote in her obituary from the Greenville News.

"Nancy will be deeply missed by all her family and friends. Nancy had a passion for many things, animals were one."

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What happened?

Dispatch operators received a call at 12:15 p.m. of a female who had fallen down the cliff. NPS law enforcement rangers arrived on scene and confirmed Sampson had died, according to a Sept. 23 NPS news release.

"Rescuers were able to locate Sampson approximately 150 feet below the overlook," the release said.

Her body was recovered by first responders from Reems Creek Fire Department, with assistance from Mount Mitchell State Park rangers and a Trauma Intervention Program of Western North Carolina volunteer.

Reems Creek Fire Chief Jeff Justice told the Citizen Times in a Sept. 25 email that it was a "tough rescue."

"The overlook has a barrier wall that wraps around, we are unsure how she got over that wall," he said.

Reems Creek Firefighters responded to a fatal fall from a cliff on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Sept. 23.
Reems Creek Firefighters responded to a fatal fall from a cliff on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Sept. 23.

The area was re-opened after emergency personnel cleared the area, Brandon said.

Glassmine Falls Overlook is about three miles north of the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center and six miles south of the entrance to Mount Mitchell State Park.

The parkway curves along some of the highest peaks in the Eastern United States, stretching 469 miles from its start at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, passing through Asheville, and ending at the entrance to the Great Smokies in Cherokee. It is the most visited unit in the National Park Service, with some 15.7 million visitors in 2022.

October is one of the highest visitation months on the parkway and for the past two years more than 2 million people have visited in October alone, according to Brandon.

The Citizen Times reached out to Sampson's family but did not immediately receive a response.

The incident is currently under investigation, but no foul play is suspected at this time, Brandon said.

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Safety Tips

As the parkway enters the busy fall foliage season, here are some visitor safety trips from the National Park Service:

  • Drive with extra care, as the Blue Ridge Parkway differs from driving on other roads with narrow lanes and slower speeds. Speed limits never exceed 45 mph on the parkway and even lower in more congested areas.

  • Always be aware of your surroundings.

  • Hike with another person and always let a responsible person know what trail you're going on.

  • Stay on designated trail paths.

  • Check the current weather forecast and bring appropriate shoes that support your ankles.

  • Carry a small first aid kit.

McKenna Leavens is the education reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at mleavens@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @LeavensMcKenna. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Woman died after 'slipped and fell' on leaves on Blue Ridge Parkway