SALT LAKE CITY (AP) ― Federal officials have proposed a two-year ban on rope-swinging from iconic Utah arches and other high-flying activities at two popular landmarks that have led to deaths and injuries witnessed by visitors flocking to the sites for peaceful reflection.
The Bureau of Land Management says rope activities at Corona Arch and Gemini Bridges near Moab can disturb other people in easily accessible hiking areas that each receive 40,000 or more visitors a year.
People often shout or scream while they swing, and in one case, a group authorized to celebrate Passover under the Corona Arch was interrupted by rope swingers above, according to a BLM report.
Though the number of people who participate in the extreme activity is thought to be small, it’s become a regular occurrence and can be dangerous. A West Jordan man, 22-year-old Kyle Lee Stocking, died at Corona Arch last year after leaving too much slack in his rope. A 25-year-old New Yorker was critically injured in May.
