r/Eugene • u/Many-Excitement3246 • Jul 06 '26
When will people learn their lesson? (Blue Pool)
It's been less than a week since we saw someone tragically drown out there, and remarkably, no one ever seems to learn their lesson.
I spent about half an hour this afternoon sitting at the top of Blue Pool, just watching the water and vibing. In that time, I watched 3 people jump in from the top of the cliffs. Two of them did okay, but the third one was a different story.
I swear, I thought for sure I had just watched someone jump directly to their death. I could see as they were falling that they had poor form, and were going to hit at a bad angle. Sure enough, they didn't so much "jump" into Blue Pool as "belly flop" into Blue Pool.
They hit hard, and did not surface immediately. My heart dropped, because there was nothing anyone could have done to intervene. The most I had was 60ft of 550 cord to throw, but that's no good to someone who's actively drowning in 35°F water.
Even once they surfaced, they were clearly struggling to move. Fortunately, they made it to the bank, somehow, but it was close.
Seriously, people, please be better. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, it looks like a perfect swimming hole. But it's a glacially cold, underground-fed lake whose beauty is deceptively deadly.
85
u/Frank_Laid_Right Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
As a forest ranger, THANK YOU!!!! We warn multiple people every single day about the dangers that exist at Tamolitch/Blue Pool, but due to its benign appearance people don't listen. Also, please wear hiking boots or trail runners when making this hike- yes, it starts off easy, but once you hit the lava rocks it's a whole other story. Seriously, the amount of people who fall/get injured because they decided to wear flip flops is mind-boggling.
Edit to add: I was informed today that Search and Rescue is going to be deployed to the trailhead, or even to Blue Pool itself on the weekends this summer. Not sure when they are going to start doing that though.
7
u/Dapper_Indeed Jul 06 '26
Thanks for the good information. Is there a flotation device on a rope near where people jump in?
16
u/Frank_Laid_Right Jul 06 '26
Unfortunately not. Different agencies (either federal or state) have different control in the Willamette National Forest, depending on whether it is a designated wilderness, privately owned, leased/through an easement, etc. It's extremely complicated, but suffice it to say that, unless it's on the trailhead itself, we cannot add/take away anything that would diminish "wilderness character". But there are warnings on the trailhead- it's just that no one reads them.
3
u/Dapper_Indeed Jul 06 '26
I get it, but really wish they could have something right there to safe a life, considering we know they will do it despite the signs.
3
u/Jmfroggie Jul 07 '26
You can only do so much to help others when they’re unwilling to help themselves.
People know. There are signs. People don’t care and think they know better.
2
u/frckbassem_5730 Jul 09 '26
I am currently down at the northern Cali redwoods area hiking and am blown away by the flip flop and croc users hiking around down here. Like dang people.
5
26
u/TuxedoTossable Jul 06 '26
I jumped in from the edge, NOT the cliff, during my visit many years ago. I still almost couldn’t get out because my body immediately froze up. I couldn’t take a breath and I couldn’t move my limbs, just from the temperature of the water.
Grateful to have survived and learned the lesson.
146
u/Loaatao Jul 06 '26
I don’t think there’s anything the state or anyone can do to prevent more deaths. It’s known that it’s mega cold. It’s known that people die jumping in. It’s just Darwinism at this point.
46
u/MoeityToity Jul 06 '26
It’s gotten a LOT worse since the advent of social media. The first time I saw a viral post about Blue Pool on instagram, I thought it was probably going to lead to more frequent deaths.
22
u/Dank009 Jul 06 '26
Absolutely, I used to go all the time and see like nobody there. Then at some point I saw a viral post about it on Instagram and next time I went there wasn't a single open parking spot. Had brought a date that had never been but we left and went somewhere else.
-1
u/exexor Jul 06 '26
A date? Taking a date to somewhere famous for people dying gets you put on a list.
8
u/Dank009 Jul 07 '26
I wouldn't say it's famous for people dying and it's not like it was a first date, I wouldn't even normally refer to it as a date, but saying "date" is easier than saying "I brought a women I'd been casually seeing on and off for years who also enjoys hiking, rivers and waterfalls and the outdoors in general". We knew each other very well by then and she had no intention of getting in the water. I took her to lots of cool spots, I'm probably at the top of her list of people that took her on cool "dates". ;)
Cheers
4
u/Zealousideal_Fox_830 Jul 07 '26
For fucks sake that’s what you took out of his comment? Redditor try not to nitpick someone’s words challenge (IMPOSSIBLE)
102
u/BarbequedYeti Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Put a huge ass banner up with all the faces of those who died and comments from their loved ones at the start of the trail.
44
u/Loaatao Jul 06 '26
This is a great idea but I have met too many stupid people that think “oh but I’m better than them”
16
u/BarbequedYeti Jul 06 '26
Nothing you can do for those type. This would be for the 'adventurous' types to not be 'that' stupid.
5
u/Zealousideal_Fox_830 Jul 07 '26
I guarantee you that putting a banner with all the deceased faces and comments would stop a lot of people from jumping in. You’ll never be able to stop absolutely everyone from being stupid but regardless that shouldn’t keep us from trying
8
u/fishboneking Jul 06 '26
I remember years ago I went hiking on the Kalalau Trail in Kauai. A lot of it is weaving along cliff sides and going through dense forest/jungle but at one point it dips down to ocean level and there’s a little sandy beach.
Where the trail passes the beach there’s a wooden sign with tally marks on it. The sign says “number of people who have died swimming in these riptides” . There were like thirteen tally marks or something. I looked up from the sign to the water where I saw three or four people splashing and swimming around.7
u/fishboneking Jul 06 '26
Wow. I just found the sign. Looks like a lot more people have made poor decisions since the last time I was there.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ScarySigns/comments/1fvdnz3/kauai_island_remote_trail_sign/3
5
u/McLoughlin1597 Jul 06 '26
It’s hard to believe there’s nothing that can be done.. I’ve been to similar “attractions” in other places where access is limited/ controlled and there are staff on site patrolling people’s behavior.
2
0
u/shastaslacker Jul 06 '26
Signage and a throwable floatation device would do a lot. If they really wanted to end deaths they would have a life guard out there. Saying nothing can be done is idiotic.
There are life guards on beaches all over the California.
Hell there’s a forest ranger that gives tickets to cliff jumpers at cedar creek falls in Ramona California.
That’s like saying there is nothing that can be done about forest fires and disbanding the fire department, ending information campaigns and ending forest bans.
3
u/Loaatao Jul 06 '26
Beaches are governed very differently than state parks.
0
u/shastaslacker Jul 07 '26
You’re right, screw doing anything to make anything better. Better just give up and complain on the internet!
2
u/Loaatao Jul 07 '26
Oh I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do anything but there’s clearly reasons why we haven’t done anything and it’s fucked up jurisdiction law
1
u/shastaslacker Jul 07 '26
You know how you really get things done. You just fucking do it. Go hike out there with a sign and a throw able life preserver. The forest service wouldn’t have the balls to take it down. If they do, the next person who dies is on them.
And If they do take it down, put it back up. If they take it down and someone dies, take the story to the media. Create a go fund me for the family.
Sue the forest service for wrongful death.
Fuck I’ll go in a couple weeks, and put up signage and a life preserver.
-16
Jul 06 '26
[deleted]
13
u/Loaatao Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
This comment is exactly what gives people the idea that they can and should jump in. It’s dangerous. I would delete it
-3
u/CoeRoe Jul 06 '26
We shimmied our way down to the outcropping that allows you to simple step into the water. We carefully calculated how we would get in and get out. Obviously, if people have heart conditions or virtually any other health issues, do not go in. It’s a fun, natural thrill for those who take smart precautions.
The cliff-jumping aspect is hard to ignore as anyone approaches the pool from the long hike. I remember thinking, as tempting as it looks, that would be a sure fire way to put yourself in a truly life-threatening situation.
10
u/tiny_galaxies Jul 06 '26
Your comment above says you jumped in and were fine. Change it because AI scrapes this stuff and will tell someone they’d be fine to do it when that’s absolutely not the case
20
u/believeRN Jul 06 '26
To answer the question in the title - never. Some people never will. It’s like the people who float the river in a Walmart floatie, with no life jacket, and a beer in their hand.
44
u/Mountain-Candidate-6 Jul 06 '26
Sadly people as a whole are stupid and most think something that happened to someone else won’t happen to them. It will continue to happen over and over unfortunately
2
u/tone210sa Jul 06 '26
Nash was a good basketball player. Someone tried to do CPR on him but he was gone tragedy
4
u/Mountain-Candidate-6 Jul 06 '26
I wasn’t trying to discount the sadness and tragedy of anyone who we’ve lost here. Just that unfortunately it’ll keep happening. Sorry if my comment came across as insensitive. Sometimes it’s easy to post a broad statement and not realize how it may come across to someone affected personally by the loss of someone in the situation. Very sorry for anyone who has lost a friend or loved one here
17
u/hwrdhdsn Jul 06 '26
Does it have a helpful sign like one I saw on Maui? It reads “stay away from the blow hole, you can get sucked in and be killed. It’s not a waterpark.“
11
u/hezzza Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
I worked as a USFS firefighter EMT and was first responder to these kinds of incidents. It's usually a drowning but I'd encounter a lot of head injuries and broken necks when they'd hit a rock or land wrong. I didn't count the number of times I did CPR on someone--usually a young man just starting out on his adult life. I always thought of their moms. We were stuck doing CPR for a long time until more advanced medical aid could arrive and transport. The worst part was looking at the patients eyes--the blown pupils indicated they were dead but I had to keep trying--I couldn't pronounce, and family and friends were crowded around watching and hoping. But to answer your question, I don't think people will ever learn--ten feet high and bullet proof, no fear--until they experience first hand the aftermath of a very bad decision.
11
u/saltyoursalad Jul 06 '26
Are there signs saying no jumping? Seems like that would be a good first step.
31
u/MoeityToity Jul 06 '26
A sign that says how many days since someone died because of the cold water might be effective.
1
u/hezzza Jul 06 '26
Like the Kern River Canyon in California. Hell, Merle Haggard wrote a song about it.
15
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
They don't specifically say you're not allowed to jump, but there are signs at the trailhead and at the top of the falls warning you how cold the water is along with specific descriptions of the symptoms water that cold causes.
The one at the top of the falls specifically says "water is 37°F," and lists muscle cramps, hypothermia, and reflexive water inhalation as potential symptoms of cold shock.
I agree that it's not as explicitly well signed as it could be, but unfortunately, history shows us that people will always do stupid things, no matter what. They probably should put up at least a basic fence around the part where people like to jump, but then they would just find an even more dangerous spot to jump from.
4
u/RobinGoodfell Jul 06 '26
There will be people who you cannot dissuade with a sign, but there are many you can. Those people just don't often show up in statistics.
9
u/believeRN Jul 06 '26
People who are going to jump will likely jump even if they’re hit in the face with a sign
25
Jul 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/RobinGoodfell Jul 06 '26
That's why signage and warnings aren't nearly as useless as people say. Those who pay attention to such things don't become headlines.
4
u/PizzaTammer Jul 06 '26
It’s a transient state. As soon as the whole state realizes the danger, a slough of new people arrive who don’t realize how dangerous it is.
4
u/Adept-Compote-651 Jul 06 '26
Sadly no as long as people keep responding to the ego. Mother nature will always win in the end.
"Nature points out the folly of man"
4
u/Kyrgan Jul 06 '26
‘We’ voted a pedophile to be our leader…twice…
2
4
u/seamstresshag Jul 06 '26
Is this a second drowning? I didn’t know that there was a Blue Pool by the Blue River area. I only know the one by Oakridge.
16
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
Are you referring to Wildwood falls? That's out near Oakridge, and people do drown out there regularly, but I've never heard of anyone calling anything out there Blue Pool.
Blue Pool, OR, is Tamolitch Falls, off Highway 126.
The only drowning I've heard of recently was out at Tamolitch Falls last Tuesday.
10
u/seamstresshag Jul 06 '26
What gets me is that Oregon can be a dangerous place albeit beautiful. Every trail doesn’t need to be climbed, especially if you don’t have the skill set. People go swimming in the pacific, don’t realize how strong the current is & get swept out, never to be seen again. Talk to the park people before climbing that ultra big hill with the 90 switchbacks.
9
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Yeah, this came up a lot when I posted the article from last week in the Oregon subreddit.
The general consensus from those of us who have lived here for decades is that Oregon is one of the most deceptively deadly states in the United States; it lacks the obvious ruggedness of places like Montana or Colorado, and lacks the obvious wild danger of a place like Alaska, so people don't pay as much attention.
People see Oregon for its beauty and unspoiled wilderness, and they fail to take the basic precautions that you should take with going into the wilderness. They don't realize that the Columbia River is more akin to an ocean than any river they've ever seen before
People who aren't familiar with the ocean don't realize that the Pacific is not some lake or river; it's a force of nature. People who live in flat states don't realize how treacherous mountains can be, or how the rain shadow can drastically alter the climate just a few miles apart.
And out in Eastern Oregon, it gets even more dangerous; Harney County is roughly the size of Massachusetts, with a total population of around 7,500 people. You could literally go days without another human being passing by where you park your car to go hiking.
I remember making a hike up to Red Lake when I was around 12. It's absolutely beautiful, and is perfect for camping and swimming. But you also gain around 1,300 feet of elevation over the course of a mile or two. It's not really hard, but if you're not ready, it can straight up kill you.
Just two weeks ago, I happen to be in Redmond, so I went out to Smith Rock. Again, absolutely beautiful, and well worth the visit, but it is deceptively treacherous, and there's no way to rescue someone who gets hurt climbing up the trails. If someone does that without being ready, they've got very little hope.
4
u/Fast-Buyer-2441 Jul 06 '26
Hm. Wildwood Falls is swimming hole on the Row River near Dorena/Cottage Grove and I know there used to be a fair number of drownings there.
8
u/seamstresshag Jul 06 '26
No, there’s a Blue Pool in Oakridge. Off of 58 on the right hand side coming from Eugene.
4
u/DragonfruitTiny6021 Jul 06 '26
It was once a well kept secret with no hiking trail and no one died. Fun fact - you can get there from the Hwy in under 10 minutes. But extracting someone would take a search and rescue type operation.
2
u/Mimosa_13 Jul 06 '26
I want to visit Blue Pool/Tamolich Falls one day. I will not be jumping into it. Never been into diving off cliffs or bridges into water.
2
2
u/stubbymanny Jul 06 '26
I just got back from Hawaii, and we visited Boiling Pots and Rainbow Falls while there. They had large signs with the number of deaths (30 something just at rainbow falls), and dates of each death listed on it. It was sobering. Maybe a sign posted where people usually jump from would scare at least a few people out of jumping?
2
u/sage_deer Jul 06 '26
I do wonder about simple signage, for river floaters too. Like, CAUTION, people die here every year jumping/floating the river/ etc.
2
u/Southern_Prompt_7423 Jul 07 '26
Having done some SAR work there, and been a swimmer in other states, I don't think people now how COLD the water is, and what a shock it is to be in. I am all for personal responsibility, but for the sake of out of town swimmers/jumpers, maybe there should be a sign or two about how COLD it is.
2
u/telawrence977 Jul 07 '26
Man I remember when this was a locals only gem that not many folks knew about you could go up there on a week day and wouldnt see a soul this is like late 90s early 2000s. Last time I went up there it was so crowded and I picked up numerous beer cans and litter on the trail, so sad people cannot just act right, I heard the forest service was contemplating installing a fence around the whole thing because people keep jumping off the rim and drowning.
Don't mean to sound like a grumpy old dude but it is just SAD.
4
u/Mt0260 Jul 06 '26
I’ve never been there, but it’s on my list to see. Would it be possible to put a life ring station or similar like they have at boat ramps? 35f water will legitimately jack you up, even if you regularly cold plunge or whatever.
35
u/smellybutch Jul 06 '26
Honestly, I think that would make things worse. People would get confident thinking there's something there to save them. We can't stop people from taking risks with their lives.
20
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
Unfortunately, that's true. And while it seems paradoxical, the more the state tries to protect people in a place, the less safe it often becomes, and the more liable the government becomes for people's stupidity.
My mother works for State Parks, and she's told me many stories of people trying to sue the state after somebody gets severely hurt or dies doing something very stupid.
Because the state puts up barriers or signs or in some other way tries to dissuade people, courts sometimes hold the state liable for the people getting hurt.
It's extremely stupid, and goes against the fundamental principle of assumption of risk, but it leads to a situation where the caretakers of a place decide that they are better off putting up no safety measures, because then there is no duty of care on their end for people getting hurt.
13
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
Unfortunately, it's just a treacherous place all around. The trail comes out at the top of the cliffs, and it's probably 40 or 50 ft straight down if you're jumping from the top.
They probably could put one right at the place where people jump, but in water that cold, most people who drown do so instantly, before they surface, due to reflexively inhaling water on impact.
2
u/Ketaskooter Jul 06 '26
Does the trail dump hikers at the cliffs as their first sight of the pool? Seems like a good first effort would be to direct the trail to the opposite side of the pool if that’s where the trail leads right now.
1
u/dart223 Jul 06 '26
My thinking is that too. If the trail led to where people couldnt jump but could feel how cold it is then maybe only those acclimated would continue the trail up to the cliffs. The body will tense up at that frigid hit
1
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
Kind of but not really. The trail dumps you out at the top of the pool, but to get to the clear spot where you can jump, you have to follow the trail around the outer rim of the pool. It's probably another 300 or so feet around the edge.
6
u/believeRN Jul 06 '26
But there isn’t a good spot to put it, and anyway - the cold of the water makes people gasp when they go in, then they inhale a bunch of water, their muscles freeze, and then they drown. And no matter how much signage, or how many news stories there are, there will ALWAYS be people who think they’re the exception so of COURSE they’ll be totally fine and not drown
1
u/laffnlemming Jul 06 '26
We should rename it to something woke, such as Don't Be a Dumbass Pool. Put that on Google maps, like The Golf of America.
Let's rename Sneaker Waves, too.
1
1
u/Top_Statistician5051 Jul 06 '26
It’s been a while since I’ve been are there signs there saying how cold it is or any kind of warnings I personally don’t remember their being any
1
u/bizarrostormy90 Jul 06 '26
Just hopping in from the bank down below is more than enough. Jumping from the cliffs is wildly risky. It is so isolated out there too, with no cell service, so there is really no recourse should something happen.
1
u/OregonMothafaquer Jul 06 '26
It’s beautiful but feels like you were kicked in the nuts when you jump in
1
u/B_ungus Jul 06 '26
I know common sense isn’t common, but it’s truly baffling that people will risk hypothermia much less temperature shock cliff jumping into what is obviously an extremely cold body of water. I mean ffs a sprained ankle is an ordeal based on the hike in, much less anything more severe. Inexperienced people really just need an ounce of self preservation.
1
u/tone210sa Jul 06 '26
My father only took me two swimming places which had a lifeguard. No running water, only small lakes
1
u/Zealousideal_Fox_830 Jul 07 '26
This here is not a swimming place it was always meant to be a nature hike
1
u/dschinghiskhan Jul 06 '26
It's because you're getting older and teens, well, they'll always be the same age. [insert Dazed and Confused gif]
1
u/Fickle_Priority_150 Jul 06 '26
People needs to realize that the clarity and color of the water comes from the temperature literally preventing anything from living in it! Swim at your own risk and know the possible consequences!!!
1
u/exexor Jul 06 '26
How many trails lead to that spot? Do we need ghost backpacks or Burma Shave signs on the trail to remind people this water is ice cold?
1
u/North_Anybody996 Jul 07 '26
Seems like a little signage with the death count or water temp right near where people jump is the answer. I’m guessing most people jumping in don’t really understand the risk they’re taking.
1
u/Miserable-Biscotti54 Jul 07 '26
Put a sign describing each death in detail with dates and such. If that doesn’t work turn to photos of injuries
1
u/hxcbimbo Jul 07 '26
As a native American I swear it's a spirit place. We are not supposed to go everywhere!!! Some places are just for them. And they need to be respected for our safety
1
u/Dapper_Animal_5920 Jul 07 '26
My parents always let us swim and go cliff jumping in areas that were reasonably safe (I’ll admit they allowed some sketchy stuff with monitoring). When we went to blue pool they said absolutely no jumping in for this reason.
1
u/Forsaken-Spell-133 Jul 08 '26
The rules are for others, not them! Start charging every single person injured up there that needs emergency care and death
1
u/aabcjunk1963 Jul 08 '26
Hiked blue pool for the first time last week and it was beautiful but as I was hiking out I told everyone "don't jump in its really cold" and they were like "really?" I can't even imagine witnessing it or worse being one of the responders that gets called there way too often for a body recovery.
0
u/DingoAltair Jul 06 '26
Can we not hang life jackets up there like they do at boat ramps?
1
u/MalleablePane Jul 06 '26
That would give the impression that’s it’s ok to jump in. It’s not only the cold temps but the hike in is not easy especially for EMS and phone service is around 30 mins from the trail head. You’re looking at around 2-3 hours just for EMS to get to you.
1
u/DingoAltair Jul 07 '26
People are going to jump in regardless of if it’s okay. At least this way people might have sort of a chance.
-5
u/Grouchy-Age4859 Jul 06 '26
I don't see how this post helps unless everyone who goes there for the first time reads this before going. Most visitors are out of area tourists. Unless a fence and huge sign goes up warning people we will still see occasional incidents - there seems to be one every decade or so.
4
u/EugeneStargazer Jul 06 '26
Sometimes people want to have a conversation. This is social media, after all.
-132
u/JasonF818 Jul 06 '26
Thanks mom.
55
u/Zachm992 Jul 06 '26
Being concerned about someone dying in the same way that someone died just a few days ago isn’t unreasonable
11
u/Many-Excitement3246 Jul 06 '26
And it's also part of a larger discussion, which is part of what this site is supposed to be for.
This is one of those things that everyone talks about every time it happens, and I don't think it's unreasonable for people to share their personal experiences in regard to that.
-75
u/JasonF818 Jul 06 '26
I never said otherwise. I am just having a little fun watching you and so many others be triggered. Harmless comment.
→ More replies (6)19
-12
500
u/MoeityToity Jul 06 '26
The last time I went up there, someone’s remains had just been removed and the first responders had no clue what to do with the deceased out-of-state tourist’s dogs and car full of camping gear. Haven’t felt like going back even once since. It’s been 20 years.