ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST - Authorities said a man was killed and two people suffered minor injuries at Hermit Falls on Wednesday.
There were conflicting reports that the man fell from a cliff or was diving.
It was reported to the sheriff’s Temple station at 8:45 a.m.
Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Rick Flores said firefighters arrived on the scene at 9:04 a.m. One person was pronounced dead at the scene while two people with minor injuries was flown by helicopter to a local hospital.
Authorities haven’t identified the dead man.
The last fatality at Hermit Falls occurred in 2013.
Calstate Fullerton student Kevin La was with 12 other students who decided to jump into a pool of water at Hermit Falls during a hike at Angeles National Forest on Nov. 11, 2013.
The 19-year-old Monterey Park resident was the sixth person to jump. La hit the water then surfaced unconscious. He was declared dead at Huntington Memorial Hospital via helicopter.
Hermit Falls death 4/8/15
http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/ ... nal-forest
There is still a bit of confusion(as least to the media) as to what happened....I think the main story is found here...
http://ktla.com/2015/04/08/1-dead-2-inj ... mit-falls/
From what I read: it appears that this young man and a young woman did a the maximum lower Hermit falls jump(you get 40ft of credit) - but tandem & holding hands. The purpose of the tandem jump was because the young woman couldnt swim. The man, Jesse Yuth, hit rock at or below waterline and died shortly thereafter. The woman was bailed out of the water by another male friend waiting. The total group size was 3, and the accident occurred in the morning- before 8:45 am.
internet photo of lower hermit falls, with people crowded at max jump height...the still dangerous tandem jumps usually are attempted at the lower ledge(about 20ft high)
http://ktla.com/2015/04/08/1-dead-2-inj ... mit-falls/
From what I read: it appears that this young man and a young woman did a the maximum lower Hermit falls jump(you get 40ft of credit) - but tandem & holding hands. The purpose of the tandem jump was because the young woman couldnt swim. The man, Jesse Yuth, hit rock at or below waterline and died shortly thereafter. The woman was bailed out of the water by another male friend waiting. The total group size was 3, and the accident occurred in the morning- before 8:45 am.
internet photo of lower hermit falls, with people crowded at max jump height...the still dangerous tandem jumps usually are attempted at the lower ledge(about 20ft high)
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Joe_the_Hiker
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:50 pm
Maybe the water level had something to do with it also. Sturtevant falls right now looks like how it should look in August/September. Sadly this surely won't be the last injury at Hermit Falls and it's very possible this won't be the only fatality of the year.