Yellowstone tourist dies in 500-foot fall

[Janice]

I have done the very same thing and was really concerned about not getting too close to the edge. I am surprised more people don't fall over. I have seen several people getting a little too close.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming (AP) -- A woman lost her footing after stepping over a retaining wall to take a photograph and went over a cliff, falling 500 feet to her death in a canyon, Yellowstone National Park officials said.

The 52-year-old woman was visiting the park with her husband and two children.

Her husband flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911 after the Saturday morning accident at an overlook along the Yellowstone River, park officials said.

A ranger rappelled down the canyon wall to reach the woman, but she was dead at the scene.

In Michigan, The Grand Rapids Press on Sunday identified the woman as Deb Chamberlin, 52, of Rockford, vice president of the school board in the west Michigan community.

"It's hard for me to articulate right now because I'm still in shock," said Rockford Superintendent Mike Shibler, who said he spoke to Chamberlin's husband, Gary.

It was the second fatal accident in Yellowstone this year. In February, a woman was killed in a snowmobile accident.

[alicia-w]

well, present company excluded, that's why there's a wall there!!!! i cringe when i go to the Grand Canyon and see people climbing fences and walls just to get a better shot. It's just not smart.

[cognosco]

There is no wall to human foolishness. That's too sad for her family.

[HurriCat]

Yeah, too bad. I think that there is unfortunately a ton of material out there for a book titled "Too Stupid to Live". Just about every day you read about boaters without life vests - especially ones who can't swim, drivers without seat-belts, people "cleaning" loaded guns and so-on. A friend was at some park in California, walking a nature trail. There was an area close to a really high and sheer cliff. It was roped-off, with big "Danger! Stay Back" signs in multiple languages. Still, this MORON couple ducked under the rope and were right at the edge, taking "snappies" with their little cameras. A ranger showed up and barked at them before they could plummet to their own stupid deaths.