While trekking Yosemite’s dangerous Half Dome, a 20-year-old lady slipped and fell nearly 200 feet, ending her life.
When the tragedy happened, seasoned hiker Grace Rohloff was traveling with her father, Jonathan Rohloff, 16 miles away.
“She just slid off to the side, right by me, down the mountain,” Jonathan told SF Gate. “It happened so fast. I tried to reach my hand up, but she was already gone.”
Both Grace and her father were passionate hikers, so when Grace used a lottery to obtain a permit to climb Half Dome, they drove from their Arizona home to Yosemite National Park in California for their exciting new journey.
Although thunderstorms were predicted for the day of the hike, the sky cleared four hours later when they arrived at the well-known cables of Half Dome.
There weren’t even moments for Grace and Jonathan to take in the breathtaking panorama above them when a deafening crack of thunder erupted.
“A black cloud was rolling in like gangbusters,” Jonathan said. “I was like, ‘We have got to get down now, because we don’t want to be up here with any rain. It rolled in literally out of nowhere.’”
The two started walking along the trail.
Regretfully, Grace and Jonathan were stuck in the downpour while on the cables because other hikers were moving cautiously. It was a surefire way to go wrong. On the slick rock, everyone began to slip and fall.
Grace felt her feet sliding even though she was wearing new shoes that were supposed to have more traction.
She said, “Dad, my shoes are so slippery,” as Jonathan remembered.
He tried to comfort her, but just as they were almost at the base of the wires, Grace’s feet gave way under her, causing her to tumble down a steep, slick slope.
Jonathan ran as fast as he could to the bottom of the trail, shouting out for his daughter.
With hope that his daughter was still alive, he remarked, “I just wanted to get my daughter.”
“Grace, I’m here. I’m not going to leave you. If you can hear my voice, give me a sign. I love you,” he repeated over and over.
In order to retrieve his daughter’s body, Jonathan had to endure a torturous three hours of waiting for a rescue squad to arrive by helicopter. Park ranger Shawna Daly sat with him during the violent storm and consoled him while he waited for officials.
Later on, he found out that Grace had most certainly died in the fall from the mountainside, having received a serious head injury.
He remarked, “That was at least consoling. If she were gone, she wouldn’t have to suffer.”
Erin McGlynn, 22, described what she saw as “one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever seen.” Following her mother’s ascent to the summit, McGlynn came across Jonathan on the trail.
“But it was also one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen. He was able to compose himself, just in case he could provide any comfort to her. He did everything he possibly could have.”
Peace be with you, Grace. We will always remember you.