WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A US mountaineer was killed after trying to reach the peak of the Yosemite cliff, famous for its California gardens, and falling from a height of 500 feet.
According to California Garden officials, the longing to reach the top of the half-dome granite mountain has killed Daniel Bernett, 29, killing 12 people since 1995.
Daniel, who came from Lake Havasu, Arizona, died before the park's guards arrived. The incident is still under investigation, according to the New York Times.
The park has seen dozens of searches for climbers who have tried to follow in the footsteps of natural scientist John Mir and photographer Ansel Adams. One of the rocks is 8,800 feet above sea level.
On her Facebook page, the sister of former climber Nicole Burnett writes that the deceased, who was the social media director at Havasu Spings, Arizona, died yesterday while doing something she loved. In April, Daniel published a photo of her on top of a mountain at sunset, but did not say where the picture was taken.
Officials at the California National Park took care to install wooden planks along the slope 10 meters apart, allowing climbers to rest.