Background
In April of 2017, well-known outdoor footwear creator Randy Merrell and members of his family were hiking in Grand Canyon National Park when his wife and her teenage step grandson
lost their footing crossing Tapeats Creek and were swept away. While the teenager’s body was eventually found, Randy’s wife’s body has never been recovered. Just three months later,
two Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers drowned, one crossing Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park and the other crossing Rancheria Creek in Yosemite National Park.
Sadly, these are only a few of many instances where hikers and backpackers have drowned attempting water crossings.
In fact, drowning is one of the most common causes of death in the backcountry according to a review of emergency medical service events in US national parks and is the
second most common cause of death in the wilderness according to an article in Backpacker Magazine.
Safety Strategies
The following information, safety strategies, and techniques are from the
Pacific Crest Trail Association, Washington Trail Association, and
National Park Service swiftwater rescue manual. The assessment strategies should be used prior to any water crossing and the techniques described can be used to reduce risk during the actual crossing. Keep in mind though that if a safe place to cross can’t be found and/or safe methods can’t be used to make a crossing, no attempt should be made. Your life isn’t worth the risk.
Find The Safest Place To Cross
The first step in a creek or river crossing is to find the safest place to cross. While picking the shallowest area may seem the most logical, if the current is fast, slower, deeper water is often safer because moving water is very powerful. Water weighs 62.4 pounds per cubic foot and the force it exerts increases with the square of its velocity. For example, water moving at just 4 miles per hour (a brisk walk) exerts a force of 66 pounds on each square foot of whatever it encounters. If the speed doubles to 8 miles per hour, it exerts a force of 264 pounds per square foot.
Very deep water is also not safe, because as you try to cross, you began to become buoyant, which leads to less stability and control. Unless you are crossing flat water with little to no current, it is generally not safe to enter water that is greater than knee deep.
Another consideration when selecting a crossing location is what lies downstream from where you plan to cross in case you fall in or get knocked off your feet. Avoid crossing upstream from waterfalls, rapids, or hazards like submerged or partially submerged debris like logs called strainers. If a person is swept into a strainer, they can get pulled under by the current and pinned against it due to the force of the water, which can quickly lead to drowning.