AZ - Sedona, Zaynab Joseph, 40, (visiting from California) fell off 140-foot cliff (now deceased) whilst hiking with her husband and toddler 4/15/24

[GoBuckeyes]

“The strenuous hike to the top of the mountain is mostly unshaded, steep, and difficult in places. The trail ascends over 1,800 feet in elevation over the 2.3 mile hike to the top of Bear Mountain … “

“… Expect the 4.6 mile round-trip to take approximately 4.5 hours, but you can easily spend the entire day stopping to take pictures and enjoy the non-stop views. The total accumulated elevation gain is around 2,100 feet. Much of the trail is over tilted rock. Watch for white painted diamond-shaped markers to guide you across rock where the trail is indistinct.”

Coconino National Forest - Bear Mountain Trail No. 54

Coconino National Forest - Bear Mountain Trail No. 54

www.fs.usda.gov

Why would anyone take a baby on a hike like that?

 

[DeDee]

Why would anyone take a baby on a hike like that?

Wasn't there a Grandmother and an Aunt back at the AirBnB with the other two children? Were there other children besides Zaynab's children along for the vacation?

Imagine this. The only restrooms are located at the trailhead where you begin the trek. You might not see the restroom again until 4.5 hours later, depending on how far you go on the trail. I'm not sure I could hold it for that length of time. It's not as if I go looking for troubles but I do like to plan ahead, just in case.

This lady's fall makes me feel sad. Is there wifi service on the mountain trail? What if the baby became colicky, fussy and wanted their own bed for a nap. Could they phone a friend? Phone batteries drain quickly when searching for a signal.

MOO

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Maybe she was breast-feeding the baby so figured she could do so during breaks, and the baby would sleep well in the carrier? And felt it was safe enough if the father hiked with the baby in a hiking carrier? JMO.

 

[BenjaminJAndersonAlly]

Wasn't there a Grandmother and an Aunt back at the AirBnB with the other two children? Were there other children besides Zaynab's children along for the vacation?

Imagine this. The only restrooms are located at the trailhead where you begin the trek. You might not see the restroom again until 4.5 hours later, depending on how far you go on the trail. I'm not sure I could hold it for that length of time. It's not as if I go looking for troubles but I do like to plan ahead, just in case.

This lady's fall makes me feel sad. Is there wifi service on the mountain trail? What if the baby became colicky, fussy and wanted their own bed for a nap. Could they phone a friend? Phone batteries drain quickly when searching for a signal.

MOO

Yes, in links posted up thread, it has been stated the other children had been left back at the AirBnB with family.

Here is a link from a Sedona hiking trail website which explains the many difficulties associated with hiking this trail.

It does state there there is “… some cell coverage on the final two sections of the trail.”

http://www.sedonahikingtrails.com/bear-mountain.htmI

It has been my experience that cell service is hit or miss/spotty throughout much of Sedona. I remember when I was young, naive, and thought I was all but immortal, I would go out there in the middle of nowhere (often by myself) trying to hike to the Sedona “vortexes.”

Back then, I would even go into Joshua Tree National Park and go repelling, top roping, etc. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CELL SIGNAL WHATSOEVER.

Since that time, I have been bitten by a Western Diamondback rattlesnake (another danger in AZ hiking trails that has not been discussed), my best friend was murdered, and I have given birth to two boys.

Hindsight being 20/20, if I had my life to live over again, I would not choose to engage in those risky activities/under such potentially dangerous circumstances.

I am thankful nothing bad happened to Z’s child. There is just so much that could have gone wrong (and in this case - DID).

Just my .02 & all is MOO.

**edit to update phrasing in quote from article to match correctly**

 

[RickshawFan]

Wasn't there a Grandmother and an Aunt back at the AirBnB with the other two children? Were there other children besides Zaynab's children along for the vacation?

Imagine this. The only restrooms are located at the trailhead where you begin the trek. You might not see the restroom again until 4.5 hours later, depending on how far you go on the trail. I'm not sure I could hold it for that length of time. It's not as if I go looking for troubles but I do like to plan ahead, just in case.

This lady's fall makes me feel sad. Is there wifi service on the mountain trail? What if the baby became colicky, fussy and wanted their own bed for a nap. Could they phone a friend? Phone batteries drain quickly when searching for a signal.

MOO

Who says you have to hold it? Though in some spots, especially in drier locations, you might have to pack it out, generally wilderness provides.

Rarely wifi or cell service on wilderness trails. Especially on a trail like this, you'd want to carry an inReach, other PLB, or Apple iphone 14- (with Applewatch even better, since if you drop your phone, the watch can still use your phone to dial the satellite). These days, your 10 Essentials should include a battery backup for phone and 3 spare AAA's for your headlamp, kept in your first aid kit, for a wilderness hike like this one.

In some areas now, they're trying to install cell towers in far-off areas to facilitate SAR. IIRC The specific location I can think of is Mount Bachelor in Oregon, where there's a ski area with 360 degree views. A long-range tower there would pick up calls for some distance along the Cascade ridge (where there are a lot of SAR call outs). I believe I read in passing that Sedona is considering this solution, too. But between the iphone 14 and the inReach there's excellent cell and/or satellite coverage as is; it's just that folks don't believe they'll have an accident and need one.

Recommendation: If you happen to have an iphone 14 + and like to hike, familiarize yourself (like now) with the SOS feature. There's a testing feature you can do anywhere outdoors. It can also be set for fall detection, so the SOS feature activates automatically. It doesn't cost you anything (currently) to use this feature.

 

[Laayla]

 

[acutename]

Maybe she was breast-feeding the baby so figured she could do so during breaks, and the baby would sleep well in the carrier? And felt it was safe enough if the father hiked with the baby in a hiking carrier? JMO.

thought about this.... maybe grandma and aunt had their hands full with the other children. we really still do not know exactly what happened- if she was "doing OK" and just had a slip which could happen to anyone I guess.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I have no theory on what happened. I simply doubt the story as told, having hiked that trail.

 

[Pseudonymph]

If you ever want to be greatly enlightened in all the ways that people can die in a national park either through happenstance or their own poor judgment, I recommend this book highly. I think about it all the time and certainly every time I'm in a remote area. https://a.co/d/1Vmm4NU