Man dies after fall at Big Falls in San Bernardino Mountains

There was another tragic death in the San Bernardino Mountains last weekend when a man and woman from fell down a waterfall in the San Bernardino Mountains, resulting in the man’s death.  The woman survived with critical injuries.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department had to request the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department with the rescue at Big Falls.

Officials said the pair fell from the middle falls to the lower falls at the popular hiking destination.

Phil Naman, a retired member of the local search and rescue team who performed a number of rescues in the San Bernardin0 Mountains reflected on his experiences as to why people get injured or die in those mountains.  The San Bernardino Mountains do not appear particularly threatening and may be considered “beginners-mountains” but they can be deceptively dangerous if you are not careful.

“During the winter the danger is ice, you may or may not even see it and for that reason ice, seen or unseen even scares me,” said Naman.  “Ice is slick and causes falls and a minor fall can become a major incident very quickly on an ice-covered surface.”

Naman continued, “Believe it or not, inappropriate footwear – yes, I have rescued people climbing in flip flops, just bad shoes with soft, unreliable or slick soles can be very dangerous. But very often even people with the right gear and some experience can get caught in area where in the canyons they appear mild but suddenly after a little bit of climbing you find yourself in a place where you can no longer go down and you can’t get back up either.”

Waterfalls are very dangerous because much of the area around the falls is covered with wet slick surfaces like water or moss or both and that makes footholds and handholds tenuous.

People drinking or using drugs also are increasing the likelihood they may be injured or killed.

Naman’s advice is, “Pay attention to the signs that say don’t come any closer to the edge. Get too close and wham! – you slip and its over.”