Earlier this month, authorities worked to locate the body of a Deary teen who died while visiting Elk Creek Falls, which led to an increased conversation on safety on the trails.
On the afternoon of Sept. 8, 16-year-old Luis Diaz was hiking around the falls with a small group of friends when they saw him slip and fall over the edge of the middle falls, disappearing into the water. First responders located his body four days later.
“There are hazards with hiking in the forest regardless of whether you are on a designated trail or not,” according to the Lewiston Tribune, Stefani Spencer, Palouse Ranger District ranger in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. “We do maintain our trails and design them to the safety standards that we have within the (U.S.) Forest Service, so the trail is safer than walking across forest land.”
Investigators believe Diaz was in a secluded area of the falls when he fell. There are designated observation points on the trail, all of which have decks and railings around them to prevent a potential fall.
Clearwater County Sheriff Chris Goetz said in an article in the Lewiston Tribune Diaz was wearing cowboy boots at the time of the fall, and the rain made the rocks near the falls extremely slick and dangerous to navigate.
To prevent this kind of tragedy, Spencer advises hikers to stay on designated paths and be cognizant of their surroundings.
Relatively small choices and decisions can lead to significant consequences. Spencer suggests that hikers make sure to tell someone their plans, pack well, prepare for any kind of weather, wear proper clothing and know their limits.
Elk Creek Falls Recreation Area is a popular hiking destination located about 50 miles east of Moscow.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected]