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Teenager dies in Cascade waterfall area

Posted at 11:24 AM, Jul 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-04 17:36:00-04

A teenager died in a popular waterfall jumping area in southwestern Colorado Sunday.

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook that they, "unfortunately experienced a fatal accident for a young female in the Cascade waterfall area."

Authorities later said the victim was 19-year-old Haley Clark of Bayfield.

Deputies said Clark drowned. Her body was removed from the canyon, along with two stranded falls jumpers.

"THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AREA! WATER LEVELS ARE STILL VERY HIGH AND JUMPING THE FALLS IS NOT RECOMMENDED. PLEASE USE THIS TRADGETY [sic] TO MAKE GOOD, SAFE DECISIONS," authorities wrote on Facebook.

Clark and the two jumpers were rescued with the assistance of La Plata Search & Rescue and the Durango Rescue Authority, San Juan County officials said.

Several websites lists Cascade Creek as a popular place to jump a series of waterfalls. One PR company lists it in their top 10 things to love about summer in Durango.

"Jump the ABC’s for a thrilling experience," Verde PR writes on its website. "ABC’s stands for Adrenaline Falls, Bakers Bridge, and Cascade Creek. The ABC’s offer a circuit of perfect cliff jumping ranging from 10 to 50 feet in height."

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