Over the Edge

By: Terry Cornell

I’ve enjoyed visits to the Grand Canyon, savoring the splendor of one of Earth’s greatest wonders. But Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon describes deadly results when visitors come unaware or ill-prepared. Despite the massive, awe-inspiring scenery, the comfort of amenities on the great rim and a multitude of fellow visitors, the Canyon is truly a wilderness area. Those who forget may suffer tragic consequences.

Authors Michael Ghiglieri and Thomas Myers thoroughly research every known fatality in the Canyon from the late 1800s to present day. They continually update this book with newly discovered information on past tragedies, and add new incidents with each printing. Originally published in 2001, the current edition includes Grand Canyon deaths in 2008.

Both authors include personal experiences dealing with death in the Canyon. Michael Ghiglieri has run more than 600 commercial whitewater trips, treks, and expeditions around the world. He worked as a National Park Service river ranger in the Canyon, and has rowed on more than 125 commercial whitewater rafting trips on the Colorado River. These are just a few of his amazing accomplishments. Thomas Myers is an experienced backcountry hiker, particularly in the Canyon area. He’s also a physician who treated thousands of injuries at the Grand Canyon Clinic for several years.

Chapters are organized by type of fatality, with tables listing incidents in chronological order. Included are falls, flashfloods, environmental deaths (heat stroke, hypothermia, heart attack, etc.), freak accidents, Colorado River drownings, air crashes, murder, and suicide. Incidents of greatest interest are described in detail.

While I appreciated older accounts from a historical perspective, modern-day accounts offer insight into how to avoid tragedy on your own visit to the Grand Canyon. The authors combine a good balance of statistics, history, mystery, intrigue…even humor. The chapter on air crashes is the most enlightening. While 25% of United States scenic air tours take place over the Grand Canyon, it claims more victims than the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Even scarier is that about half of Canyon air crash pilots held commercial aviation licenses. Unstable air masses, created by the superheated canyon rock formations, create numerous updrafts and downdrafts, making this one of the most dangerous flying areas in the country. On my next visit to the Canyon, I believe I’ll keep my feet on the ground!

Over five million people visit the Grand Canyon every year. This massive influx has forced National Park Service administrators into an “endlessly spiraling arms race against human stupidity,” according to the authors. Their conclusion is that planning, use of good judgment, and self-responsibility would have prevented most of the deaths described, eliminating the need to “human-proof” our remaining wilderness areas. This book convinced me that the Grand Canyon’s magnificent beauty can be deceiving. It’s a wonderful place to visit, but it isn’t Disneyland. The authors sharing their experiences, observations, and insight is sure to save lives.