Latest news with #ArchesNationalPark
New York Times
3 days ago
- New York Times
Their Dream Wedding Venue? A National Park.
Aravind Ravichandran had his heart set on proposing to Lavanya Venkatesan at Angels Landing, a large rock formation at Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. In the spring of 2024, he managed to get the necessary hikers' permits for himself and Ms. Venkatesan, both nature enthusiasts from Boston, through a lottery system. Once they arrived at the summit, Mr. Ravichandran, 29, a senior design engineer at a software company, reached for the diamond ring tucked in his coat pocket. A nearby Canadian tourist sprang into action, recording the proposal. When Ms. Venkatesan, a 28-year-old senior research associate at a biotechnology company, said yes, a gathering crowd erupted in cheers and applause. 'They congratulated and celebrated us in a very beautiful way,' Ms. Venkatesan said. As the newly engaged couple discussed wedding venues, they became drawn to national parks. Both enjoy camping and road trips, and have visited 14 national parks in less than two years. They eventually chose Arches National Park, also in Utah, and married there on April 7, before 25 guests. They picked an outdoor location for the ceremony and rented a local ranch for their guests for two days. Including food, car rentals and accommodations for a few extra days before the wedding, the total cost was $20,000. About 331 million visitors flocked to the 63 U.S. national parks last year, according to the National Park Service. Some, like Mr. Ravichandran and Ms. Venkatesan, come to exchange vows against a stunning natural backdrop. The 2025 application period for weddings and commitment ceremonies is currently underway at many parks. Permit fees vary by locale, and availability depends on ceremony size and guest count. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Horror at popular Utah beauty spot as man plunges to his death
A 77-year-old German tourist died in a tragic fall while hiking at one of America's beautiful national parks in Utah. Rudolf Peters, from the town of Haltern am See in western Germany, lost his life on Tuesday afternoon after tumbling from the Windows Loop trail at Utah's Arches National Park. The elderly visitor had been navigating a section of the popular trail when the devastating accident occurred, according to park officials. Fellow hikers who witnessed the fall rushed to Peters' aid and immediately began performing CPR in a desperate attempt to save his life as emergency services rushed to the remote location. First responders arrived on scene from Grand County's EMS and sheriff's departments alongside a Classic Air Medical helicopter team. But despite their efforts, the German tourist was pronounced dead at the scene. The National Park released a statement confirming the death in a news released on Wednesday. The National Park Service and Grand County Sheriff's Office have launched a joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding Peters' death. Officials have not yet revealed whether the tourist was hiking alone or with companions when the tragedy unfolded. The Windows Loop trail, where Peters fell, is known for its breathtaking views of the park's iconic stone arches and gorgeous desert landscape. Parts of the route are known to be challenging terrain with uneven surfaces and steep drop-offs. The statement issued a warning to other visitors planning to explore the park's network of trails. 'Visitors are reminded that uneven surfaces, changeable weather, and preexisting health conditions are all important factors to consider when choosing a safe and enjoyable hike,' the news release stated. The tragedy marks the latest in a series of deaths at America's national parks. A woman was decapitated by a metal gate at the same Utah National Park - with her family seeking $140 million in damages and accusing rangers of negligence. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on a windy summer day in 2020 when a piece of a metal gate from Utah's Arches National Park broke through the passenger door and decapitated her. Just this week, a thoughtless Florida tourist was gored by a bison in Yellowstone National Park after getting to close to the hulking beast. The 47-year-old victim, from Cape Coral, came within 10 feet of the bison near Lake Village - an area near Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful - around 3:15 pm on May 4. The bison, an animal that can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run as fast as 35 miles per hour, charged and gored the man, causing minor injuries. He was treated on-site by park emergency personnel and did not require hospitalization, the National Park Service said. The incident, which is currently under investigation, marks the first bison goring of the year, following two similar attacks in 2024 and one in 2023. In 2024, an 83-year-old woman was lifted off the ground by a bison's horns near the Storm Point Trail, NBC reported. In 2023, a 47-year-old woman sustained serious chest and abdominal injuries after being gored near Lake Village. A 25-year-old woman died in 2022 after a bison gored her at the park and threw her 10 feet into the air. Only weeks later, an 1,800lb bison gored a 34-year-old man who rescued a little boy in the beast's path. Park officials constantly stress the importance of maintaining a safe distance - 25 yards from large animals like bison - to protect visitors.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
German Tourist, 77, Falls to His Death at National Park
The National Park Service said in a news release that authorities responded to a report of a man who had fallen on the Windows Loop trail of the Arches National Park on May 6 Rudolf Peters was pronounced dead at the scene after resuscitation efforts failed There had been seven other fatalities involving visitors to the Arches since 2023A 77-year-old man visiting from Germany died at Utah's Arches National Park, said authorities. In a news release, the National Park Service (NPS) said its rangers were notified that a man had fallen during a hike on the primitive section of the Windows Loop trail on Tuesday, May 6, adding that bystanders administered CPR before authorities arrived at the scene. 'Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful,' said the NPS, 'and Rudolf Peters, a 77-year-old male from Haltern am See in Germany, was pronounced deceased at the scene.' The park service added that the Grand County Sheriff's Office, Grand County EMS and Classic Air Medical also responded. The National Park Service and the Grand County Sheriff's Office are investigating the incident, the news release continued. No further information about Peters was disclosed. PEOPLE contacted the Grand County Sheriff's Office for additional information on Thursday, May 8. According to its website, the Arches National Park has more than 2,000 'natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks.' CBS News reported that there have been seven other fatalities involving visitors to the Arches since 2023. Among them was a 68-year-old man from Paramus, N.J., who died at the Devils Garden Trail after falling about 30 feet near Black Arch Overlook on Oct. 8, 2024. And on Aug. 20 of that same year, a 58-year-old woman from St. George, Utah, was pronounced dead at the scene after park rangers responded to a report of lifesaving measures being taken at the Delicate Arch Trail. In its news release about Peters' death, the NPS reminded visitors that such factors as 'uneven surfaces, changeable weather, and preexisting health conditions' should be taken into consideration while hiking. Read the original article on People
The Independent
07-05-2025
- The Independent
Hiker dead after fall at Utah's Arches National Park
A 77-year-old man from Germany has died after falling on a hike at Arches National Park in Utah, authorities said Wednesday. Rudolf Peters, from the town of Haltern am See in western Germany, was hiking in a rough section of a trail called The Windows Loop when he fell Tuesday, the National Park Service said in a statement. Bystanders attempted to resuscitate Peters before rangers arrived, along with responders from the sheriff's office and county emergency medical services. But he was pronounced dead at the scene. The park service is investigating along with the sheriff's office. Its statement did not offer more details about the fall. The park service reminded visitors to Arches, which is known for its graceful stone formations, to consider uneven surfaces, changing weather and their own health conditions when deciding to hike. ___ Bedayn is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
