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2d ago

Second Waterfall Death in a Week: Big Bradley Falls Victim Identified

Polk County completed recovery operations at the remote gorge, urging visitors to exercise caution on steep, rope-assisted trails.

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Big Bradley Falls is about 75 feet high and “is located in a small gorge along Cove Creek,” Blue Ridge Mountain Life reports.

Overview

  • Astrid Angelina Madrid Ticas, 29, fell an estimated 75 to 100 feet at Big Bradley Falls in Saluda on July 13 and was pronounced dead at the scene, Polk County officials said.
  • Rescue crews from Saluda Fire and Rescue, Mill Spring Fire Department, Polk County EMS and the sheriff’s office retrieved her body after navigating a steep trail and a 20-foot rope descent into the Cove Creek gorge.
  • Ticas’s death marks the second fatal waterfall accident in western North Carolina this week, following the July 6 drowning of 25-year-old Yoseph Alabdulwahab during a rappelling incident at Steele Creek Falls.
  • Emergency responders at both Steele Creek and Big Bradley falls faced challenging terrain and remote access that prolonged technical rescue and recovery operations.
  • Polk County extended condolences to Ticas’s family and urged hikers to stay vigilant on rugged waterfall trails during peak outdoor recreation season.