Untamed: How many people lost their lives in Yosemite National Park? Details revealed 

Netflix's miniseries Untamed takes Yosemite National Park from a picturesque symbol to the setting of an enthralling investigation—shedding light on very real dangers lurking beneath the park's surface. Yosemite frequently makes headlines with its stunning views and adventure tourism, but it is less heralded for the perils visited upon those who live, work, and flee there in its wilderness.

The show employs the dramatic landscape not only for its whodunit but also to examine the mundane intricacy of the park: mobs of tourists waiting in line at the entrance, climbers scaling mythical cliffs, rangers balancing nature and people, and the undercurrents of anxiety provoked by remoteness and duty.

In Untamed, disaster compels investigators and viewers to engage with the park's status as both a national sanctuary and a platform for human weakness. These two contrasting realities—unspoiled nature and ground for danger—course through both the series narrative and Yosemite's past.

The following sections explain how big the danger really is in Yosemite, what usually causes these accidents, and how real risks and park life are shown in the series.

Yosemite's fatalities: Facts, figures, and context

Yosemite National Park is America's most-visited natural attraction. Its towering cliffs, massive waterfalls, and extensive wilderness draw millions annually. So popular and so vast is Yosemite that accidents are perhaps unavoidable. Some 1,300 have died in Yosemite National Park since 1890, as reported based on figures from the National Park Service. Between 2007 and 2023, at least 163 people died.

The leading cause has been falling; thus, 53 people died during those 16 years. Fatalities have occurred in each decade and for each category of visitor. Both veteran climbers and tourists have suffered fatalities. Although some of the park's historical fatality records are incomplete, recent statistics confirm that Yosemite is still one of the most fatal of America's national parks.

Leading causes: Falls, climbing accidents, and other dangers

The Netflix show, Untamed, revolves around a suspicious death from a fall from El Capitan, Yosemite's famous cliff. This situation is based on actual trends. Official reports and news stories identify falls as the park's top accidental cause of death. Climbing is hazardous. El Capitan itself has experienced multiple fatalities.

At least 16 climbing fatalities have occurred between 1989 and today, and more than 30 in total since 1905. The risks are not reserved for climbers. Hikers, tourists, and employees have also been victims of Yosemite's formidable landscape.

For instance, in June 2025, an 18-year-old summer employee died following a fall on the Royal Arches route, and a hiker in his sixties fell to death close to Mount Whitney two weeks later.

Drowning, avalanches, exposure, and medical emergencies also contribute to the list. Yosemite's mix of precipitous drops, fast streams, unpredictable weather, and inconsistent terrain poses dangers that even seasoned individuals can downplay.

The real inspiration behind fiction: How Untamed mirrors the Park’s true hazards

Although Untamed is fiction, its story draws heavily from reported occurrences and actual concerns about Yosemite. The creators have assured that they intended to depict "the perils that are just beyond" Yosemite's splendor. A woman's death on El Capitan catalyzes a mystery in the show, but the real risks that surround the park are familiar to rangers, climbers, and tourists.

The dangers illustrated—falls, solitude, inadequately equipped rescue missions, and the wildness of the environment—reflect the circumstances of many actual occurrences. Recent sensationalized news events, including the fatalities of climber Grant Jeffrey Cline and hiker Harris Levinson in 2025, are reminders that they are not uncommon phenomena but persistent realities within Yosemite.

Trending

Watch Untamed on Netflix.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback