We Need to Talk About Cliff Jumping

Every summer I have lived in Rexburg, I’ve met tons of college students raving about Monkey Rock, and how it’s the perfect place for cliff jumping. Now, I am always one for adventure, but there is something about jumping from heights into gallons of powerfully gushes of water into a supposedly safe pool below, where no one really knows how shallow the water is until they land safely or break their bones.

In 2016, college student Sierra Rice (see link attached) visited Paradise Falls in North Carolina to go cliff jumping with her friends. The first climber, Rice was climbing to the top of the falls when she slipped and broke her back. Fortunately, she lived from the experience, although she wore a back brace for months while her spine healed. And because of the isolated and dangerous area in which she had fallen, Rice had to wait several hours before being rescued by paramedics via helicopter.

While injury and death are not always guaranteed in jumping from falls and cliffs, there are plenty of hazards that put your health and safety at risk.

For one, if there is not a designated path leading up to the falls, this is the best indication that no one is supposed to jump. But, jumpers will disregard this caution and climb the rocks. This is the first hazard. Keep in mind that gallons of water are dumping themselves into a pool below. That said, the radius of splash between the falls and surrounding rocks is relatively extensive. These rocks will be slippery and can cause injury and death. In the case of Sierra Rice, slippery rocks caused her to lose her footing and break her back. Never consider cliff jumping if there is not a designated path.

And even if there is a designated path to the falls, that does not mean jumping is completely safe. On the contrary, there are more hazards to consider once you have reached the top.

You may not be able to see the rocks under the base of the falls, which is already cloudy from the sheer force of the water. They could be far below the pool or just skimming the surface. If you cannot tell from first glance, jumping is not the best idea.

Then, there is the force of the water itself, which – combined with the height of the jump – drags you down the falls at speeds not meant for the human body, especially when that speed maxes out the moment you hit the water. This break from rapid motion to a forced and abrupt stop has a physical effect on the body, causing disorientation and sometimes severe physical trauma.

It’s tempting to jump from waterfalls, especially if it is eighty-to-one-hundred degrees outside. But, the fact of the matter is that it’s not safe. Despite this, potential jumpers still consider the experience of jumping superior to the risks. I cannot offer anything to change these opinions that personal witnesses have already given regarding this danger. Rice alone has tried to dissuade others from jumping Paradise Falls in the hopes that no one will become as injured as she once was.