Earlier this week a 21-year old man drove his car off the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, surviving a 200-foot fall with only minor injuries. He then freed himself from his vehicle and climbed back up the canyon wall looking for help. He was discovered alongside the road by another traveler, who immediately called the Park Service.

Park Rangers are still investigating exactly what happened, and until that investigation is complete, they aren't releasing the name of the young man, who was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. The man claims that he drove off the rim purely on accident, and it doesn't appear that alcohol played a role in the incident either.

As of now, his car remains stuck in a tree, 200 feet below the South Rim, while the Park Service determines how best to retrieve it from its resting spot. The vehicle came to a stop when it hit a pine tree, ten feet shy of another major precipice.

To say that his man is lucky to be alive is an understatement. The South Rim is, at points, more than 5000 feet above the canyon floor, so to only have fallen 200 feet, and to walk away without any real injuries, is a bit of a miracle. The Grand Canyon is truly one of the most spectacular natural wonders that you could ever hope to see. Perhaps he was a bit distracted by all that splendor.

This is also another reason why you should leave your car behind when visiting national parks!

[Photo credit: The National Park Service]

Filed under: North America, United States, News