Sometimes people go to great lengths to make the most of a beautiful view at an awe-inspiring location. Unfortunately, that can lead to reckless behavior and put their lives at risk.
A videographer recently took to the national park subreddit to report a small group of such tourists who flirted with potential disaster.
The Redditor's footage appears to show at least five people out beyond the safety rails in place at the Moro Rock trail inside the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Although the short clip is just three seconds long, it's plenty of time to get a sense of the situation.
According to the original poster, not only was the small group of people ignoring the rules, but they were doing so in what might be considered more dangerous conditions. "People climbing over the safety railing at [Moro] Rock on a rather windy day," the Redditor wrote.
Moro Rock features a 350-step staircase that leads to a scenic overlook. The top of the trail clocks in at 6,725 feet above sea level. A set of wooden stairs was originally constructed in 1917, but after years of deterioration, they were replaced in 1931 with more durable steps.
Although safety guidelines are strictly enforced at such locations, the National Park Service reports that 23 people fell to their deaths at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks between 2014 and 2019.
On top of the threat to human life, ignoring safety guidelines can also negatively affect the animal population inside each national park. In cases where an animal is involved in an attack on a human, the animal may be put down, whether the attack was provoked or not.
As many commenters noted under the original poster's video, people ignoring safety guidelines is unfortunately a common occurrence.
"I've seen people climbing over the rail at the North rim of the Grand Canyon. Slipping and sliding to get to the perch of choice. One slip without grip is the end of a very nice day," one user wrote.
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Absolutely 👏 Another commenter couldn't help but question the practicality of it all: "Is the view really that much better four feet out?"
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