Florida Woman Falls to Her Death at Grand Canyon Hours After Posting Photo of Herself on Cliff Edge

People ^ | 07/12/2016 | Char Adams

[BenLurkin]

Colleen Burns, 35, of Orlando, was hiking with friends near the South Kaibab Trail on Friday when she accidentally slipped off an edge at Ooh Aah Point, Grand Canyon National Park official tells PEOPLE.

Park rangers located her body about 400 feet below where she was standing.

...

One friend who was with Burns on the trail described her final moments to WESH.

"She was just, like, stepping out of the way for another gentleman to, kind of, squeeze in," Jessica Roman told the station. "Unfortunately, Colleen just kind of got tripped up on her own feet and fell backwards. She fell into the canyon."

[steve86]

I’m sure she was a nice young lady. One who grew up in a flat state. What is the elevation range in a great deal of Florida, something like 13 feet?

[JudyinCanada]

Oh dear. Poor woman....my sympathies and condolences to her family and friends.

I am glad I am so afraid of places like that....keeps me safe.

[mountn man]

My personal motto is to never get within 100 ft. of any cliff or roof edge......

How do you get in your house?

Or do you live on a low floor of a tall condo building?

[mountn man]

Sugarloaf mountain is the highest point on the peninsula at 312 ft.

Brighton Point at 345 ft on the panhandle.

[Gasshog]

There was a local guy that spent his life building water towers. He must have loved working at those precarious Heights.

Cuz when he passed they lowered his casket with this huge crane from his company. Different to say the least

[mountn man]

:)

[Tax-chick]

Yes, most of Florida is within 50’ of sea level, although there are some minor heights (345’ is the highest) in the Panhandle up toward the Georgia line.

I’m imagining a crowd of people shoving around at the edge of a cliff and feeling queasy.

[steve86]

As I said, much of Florida has a very small elevation range.

[kristinn]

My first thought was what kind of man elbows his way past a woman causing her to fall off a cliff? And why are we not hearing more about him?

[Night Hides Not]

As I said, much of Florida has a very small elevation range.

Florida also has sinkholes, alligators, and snakes. Those three are far more treacherous than a rudimentary trail at the Grand Canyon.

[mountn man]

I've got a buddy, who tells the story of his greek grandfather, who owned a restaurant, back in the 20's or 30's.

Seems, when he immigrated, he didn't have enough $$$ to start the restaurant, so he became "partners" with the neighborhood "family".

Seems his restaurant lost a lot of money, and grandpa had to get a job to make ends meet. So, he was painting an area water tower. Well, his "partners" wanted their money, but he couldn't pay them.

So, it seems they coerced his work partner, to help him off the tower one day.

Miraculously, he survived.

[cyclotic]

Wherever that is, I want to rent a Mustang and drive it. I love roads like that.

The other night, I was driving the PA Turnpike at about 2am. Traffic was light. There was a guy shadowing me about 100 ft back. We rode together for at least 50-75 miles, taking turns leading and watching out for the other guy.

Even semi’s were doing 85. It was actually a lot of fun. My exit came, I got off, pulled behind a gas station near the dumpster, popped in my ear plugs and eye mask and went to sleep realizing that my 1500 mile marathon drive two days was coming to an end.

[steve86]

I’ve developed a trace of fear of heights with age, but only while driving a four-wheel vehicle, oddly. I can still snow ski, mountain bike, dirt bike, or hike some real sketchy trails, often (in the case of hiking or two-wheel vehicles) while traversing a steep canyon wall with a mountain stream WAY DOWN THERE.

[steve86]

True, I’d rather deal with the trail as long as it was mostly unoccupied by flatlanders (easterners, usually).

[xp38]

I visited in 2003 with my late mother who enjoyed it but was very wary of getting near the edge. I was less so but still cautious. It’s worth the trip IMHO. One of the great natural wonders of America.

[mountn man]

Florida also has sinkholes, alligators, and snakes. Those three are far more treacherous than a rudimentary trail at the Grand Canyon.

Baaaahhh!!! Forida aligators...those little things?

[bankwalker]

is that amos moses with that camera?

[AlaskaErik]

Yeah, but the Park Service has been known to put solar powered outhouses under big shady trees, too, so...

Real bright (no pun intended). They're probably wondering why these don't work when the solar panels are in the shade...

[silverleaf]

Pardon me lady, can you just step out of my way?
No problem sir!

Ooh- AAAHH!

[GingisK]

The canyon rim is maybe a thousand miles long. Why does anyone have to “squeeze in”?