Know what you’re getting into first

I have the utmost sympathy for the family and friends of both the young men who drowned near Canyon Falls this summer. I cannot even conceive of the loss of my child.

But the statements that there should have been signs about the danger of the river bother me. Every cliff, every fall, every rock in the path, every dangerous stretch of our world cannot be marked. We should not expect that. We have to take responsibility for ourselves. Rivers, forests, mountain paths, even city streets can be dangerous. To paraphrase Snohomish County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen, you need to know what you are getting into.

Mari Kay Everitt

Snohomish