Family sues Forest Service over bear attack

After hiking Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, my buddy said he was surprised that the trail is open because he thought the park would be continuously facing litigation because of people falling to their death. I laughed. It's not as if the park has a piece of faulty safety equipment or knowingly has employed a dangerous person.

This story seems to be along the same lines: Samuel Ives, 11, was killed when a bear sliced open his tent and attacked him in American Fork Canyon in June of 2007. The area of southern Utah they were camping in was not an established campground (i.e., undeveloped). The Ives are suing the Forest Service and the Utah Division of Wildlife for about $2 million.

It seems cut and dry to me, but, then again, so does someone getting burnt by a McDonald's coffee. And that guy got $200,000, so good luck in court Ives and sorry for your loss.

I hope the costs of litigation don't raise the price of a good time in Utah. Things there were just starting to look on the up-n-up, with the new liquor laws and all.