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Bay Area Couple Drowns at Roaring River Falls

Identification of the victims highlights how late-spring snowmelt creates hidden currents and slick granite that make the site deadly.

The Roaring River Falls in Kings Canyon National Park, Calif. 
Roaring River cuts through Zumwalt Meadows, in Kings Canyon National Park. A few miles west, the river crashes over a 40-foot waterfall, where a San Mateo Couple died last week. 
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Overview

  • Visitors reported that the incident began when one member of the couple slipped from rocks at Roaring River Falls and the other tried to rescue them, with both pulled into the fast-moving water on May 25.
  • Search-and-rescue teams responded at the scene and bystanders reported helicopters and emergency personnel at the trailhead during the Memorial Day weekend rescue effort.
  • The Fresno County Coroner’s Office identified the victims on June 1 as Parth Patel, 30, and Dharti Patel, 29, of San Mateo.
  • The National Park Service warns that Roaring River Falls is fed by heavy snowmelt that channels through a narrow granite chute, creating strong hidden currents and extremely slick rocks that can quickly drag people under.
  • Park officials say drownings are the parks’ most common cause of death in spring and early summer, and they urge visitors to stay away from fast-moving water, keep distance from edges, wear proper footwear, and follow posted guidance.