A 61-year-old hiker plunged 150 feet to her death Saturday after losing her balance while trying to see the view over a cliff in a North Carolina national park.
Nancy Sampson, of South Carolina, was taking in the views of Glassmine Falls Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway with her husband around 12:15 p.m. when the tragedy occurred, the National Park Service said.
Rescuers rappelled down the side of the cliff, about half the height of the Statue of Liberty, only to discover that Sampson had succumbed to his injuries.
Sampson’s husband remained at the scene and was “distraught” after witnessing his wife’s violent end, according to the Western North Carolina Trauma Intervention Program.
“The TIP volunteer went above and beyond to support him on site and help him get off the mountain and connect with friends who could support him after this tragic loss,” the group said in a statement.
It is unclear if investigators suspect foul play in Sampson’s death.
Nancy Sampson fell 150 feet to her death at Glassmine Falls Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Facebook / Reems Creek Fire Department Rescuers rappelled down the side of the cliff to recover her body. Facebook/Reems Creek Fire Department Sampson’s “distraught” husband was alone after he fell, officials said. Facebook/Reems Creek Fire Department
The couple was visiting the park, located about 85 miles north of their hometown in South Carolina.
Glassmine Falls Overlook is a popular view to see a thin waterfall “in the distance across the valley,” according to the NPS.
“Seeing the waterfall requires a bit of luck, however, as these ephemeral waterfalls only flow after periods of rain. During drier weather, it will slow to a trickle or even dry out completely,” the website states.
The Glassmine Falls overlook is about 200 feet high, the NPS said. Facebook/Reems Creek Fire Department The view offers rare views of a distant waterfall. Facebook/Reems Creek Fire Department
A sign at the view claims the “steep cliff” is more than 800 feet high, but it is closer to 200 feet, officials said.
Sampson is the latest in a series of hikers who plunged to their deaths in National Parks this year.
Seven visitors at six parks suffered fatal falls between January and July, according to NPS data obtained by the Washington Post.
A California woman fell to her death last month in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn