UPDATE: Adventurers killed in Shannon Falls tragedy shared joys of travel online One of the three hikers who died Tuesday in the waters of B.C. 's Shannon Falls has been identified as a social media personality known for often-daring travel videos. Rob Mangelsdorf told CBC News that his cousin, 30-year-old Ryker Gamble, was among those who died in an incident at a provincial park 60 kilometres north of Vancouver. An RCMP spokesperson said the families of the other two deceased requested they not be publicly identified at this time. This RCMP helicopter was part of a recovery effort Wednesday for the bodies of Ryker Gamble and two others. (CBC) High-octane travel videos Gamble, born in Richmond and living in Vancouver, was one of several people in a popular YouTube travel vlog called High On Life. The videos saw him and others perform high-octane stunts in exotic locations in B.C. and around the world. The videos earned the High On Life crew hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and tributes poured in to Gamble's Instagram account Wednesday. Charged for 2016 incident Gamble was among a group of young men who earned international headlines in 2016 after being charged by authorities in Wyoming with misdemeanours for walking off a boardwalk in Yellowstone National Park to get closer to the landmark's iconic Grand Prismatic Spring. Gamble and another man were sentenced to seven days each in prison after returning to Wyoming to face justice. The High On Life crew ran afoul of the law for wandering off the pathway to see the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park in 2016. (Jill Thompson/YouTube) "We acted in a way that doesn't reflect our respect for the environment we were trying to capture," Gamble told CBC News at the time. "It was the wrong decision to make." In recent years, he also worked as an instructor in a business that aims to teach people how to build a popular account on Instagram. Bodies recovered Wednesday Crews recovered the bodies of Gamble and two other hikers from Shannon Falls Wednesday afternoon. All three bodies have now been recovered at #ShannonFalls. RCMP and SAR will now be making their way out now via helicopter. SAR tells me it's been a long two days for members and they will have counselling available. —@anitabathe Teams spent the afternoon looking for them before their bodies were discovered Tuesday night in a steep section that is very challenging to access. "At around 8:30 p.m. last night, teams were able to confirm the location of the three people in one of the lower pools," said a statement released by the RCMP on Wednesday morning. RCMP said they were able to confirm the location using cameras and a crew member who managed to reach the pool. 'Extremely dangerous spot' The bodies were in the third of a series of pools at the top of the falls that can only be accessed by ropes. Shannon Falls is located about 60 kilometres north of Vancouver. (CBC News) RCMP called in a swift water rescue team and an underwater recovery team, the RCMP said. "The terrain is extremely difficult, very dangerous, and the water flow will be heavy with the warm temperatures today increasing the risk to those in the recovery effort," Cpl. Sascha Banks said before the bodies were recovered. Woman slipped into water Accounts of what happened to the three people vary slightly. Squamish RCMP said they received a call from BC Ambulance just before noon Tuesday regarding three people who were swimming in one of the pools at the top of the falls. The individuals, who were part of a group of seven friends, were walking along the edge of the falls when they slipped and fell into a pool 30 metres below, paramedics told Banks. Shannon Falls Provincial Park is about two kilometres south of Squamish, on the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler. (Shutterstock) On Tuesday John Willcox, a manager with Squamish Search and Rescue, said witnesses reported one woman was standing at the edge of the water at the top of the falls when she slipped and fell into the strong current. Her boyfriend and another hiker jumped in to try to save her but they were all swept over the edge, Willcox said. "The other friends said that they saw the three people go over, out of view from the one pool they were at," he said. The three victims have been identified and RCMP have confirmed they are all from B.C. and in their late 20s and early 30s. Gondola increases tourism According to the provincial parks service, the falls are 335 metres at their highest point. They are located in Shannon Falls Provincial Park, which is a popular hiking spot near Squamish on the Sea-to-Sky Highway. The area is accessible from the Sea-to-Sky Gondola and by hiking trails in the provincial park, but Sascha said the area can be dangerous. "Unless you have knowledge and the right equipment you should not be up there," she said. Willcox said he's never heard of someone being swept over the falls, but there have been previous incidents where people and dogs had to be rescued after falling on the slippery rocks. "The Sea to Sky Gondola has certainly brought a lot of tourism to Squamish ... but along with that comes some pretty serious terrain," said Willcox. Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman said in an interview she hoped the increasing numbers of people visiting the backcountry would come prepared. "I don't want to get the impression that this is a disaster waiting to happen every time someone hikes up there," she told On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko. "Obviously as you invite more people into the backcountry just by nature of numbers you're going to have more situations where this type of thing may happen." Officials have closed the trails around the top of the waterfall until further notice. Rescue crews search for three missing people at Shannon Falls on Tuesday: Search and rescue teams scour Shannon Falls CBC News BC 0:48 A search is underway for three people who fell into the waters of the Squamish-area park. 0:48 Read more from CBC British Columbia<doc-sep>They were three people who lived their lives online, sharing the thrills of world travel with an army of followers on social media. But on Tuesday, those well-documented lives ended when all three were killed in an accident at Shannon Falls near Squamish, B.C. The trio of young people have been identified as Ryker Gamble and, according to reports, Alexey Lyakh and Megan Scraper. Gamble's death was confirmed by his family. The families of Lyakh and Scraper have not commented. All three were from the Vancouver area. In one of his last Instagram posts, Vancouver-based Gamble spoke about the lessons of the past year and the joys of a life spent exploring the world with his childhood friends. He was only 30, but he still spoke about the things we can all learn from "our younger selves." "Life isn't about responsibilities, tough decisions and hard work, it's about feeling bliss and living in the moment," he wrote. "My plan is to not [stifle] the kid in me ... the kid that wants to do weird and wacky things." Gamble, Lyakh and Scraper's deaths will inevitably cast a spotlight on the sometimes uneasy relationship between social media and lovers of outdoor adventure. Witnesses reported seeing Scraper slip and fall from the rocks at the top of the falls, into the strong current. The two men apparently jumped in the water to try to save her. The area is accessible from the Sea-to-Sky gondola and by hiking trails in Shannon Falls Provincial Park, but search and rescue officials say it can be dangerous. Shannon Falls Provincial Park is about two kilometres south of Squamish along the Sea to Sky Highway. (Shutterstock) Locals have complained that the area is being visited by people unprepared for the dangerous terrain. Those concerns have been echoed in other parts of the province by hikers and wilderness enthusiasts who are increasingly seeing their private spots invaded by tourists in search of sites they've seen on Instagram. Gamble and Lyakh first earned headlines locally through High On Life, a YouTube channel and business they started with two childhood friends. Together, the four young men built a significant online following based on a passion for world travel and adventure. They filmed themselves wearing costumes, doing acrobatics and posing with each other while inviting their fans to join in the fun. But they also wound up making international headlines on a U.S. road trip after authorities in Wyoming accused them of disrespecting Yellowstone Park by wandering off a boardwalk to film themselves next to the iconic Grand Prismatic Spring. Three members of the High on Life crew were charged with a misdemeanour, but had already returned to Canada by the time the news hit. The allegations sparked a global backlash as people went online to comb their social media channels for evidence of more infractions. Tips sent from the public resulted in tickets for violating the rules in Death Valley, Zion National Park, Mesa Verde and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Gamble and Lyakh returned to a Wyoming courtroom, where they were each sentenced to seven days in prison. At the time, Yellowstone's park superintendent, Dan Wenk, said the jail time was intended to send a "strong and poignant message" about safety. "We implore all visitors to learn about the rules in Yellowstone, respect the rules and follow them," Wenk said. Lyakh, who was from Richmond, also posted numerous shots of B.C. 's natural beauty on Instagram in the days before his death, and of his travels with Scraper, a former field hockey star who worked as a social media consultant. In one entry, posted less than a month ago, he spoke about struggling with the desire to go exploring back in Canada. "It's something that comes so naturally when travelling," he wrote. "But here I tend to take my surroundings for granted." He said he spent the following day looking up a list of places he planned to visit in B.C. and Alberta this summer. West Vancouver native Scraper spoke of her relationship with Lyakh in a Facebook video earlier this year, talking about how they travelled the world together, getting paid to stay at luxury resorts in exchange for social media content. "It barely felt like work, because we were doing exactly what we loved to do," she said. Scraper said she found her calling in social media after quitting an unsatisfying job and travelling the world. She described the experience in the short e-book Not Cut Out for the 9-5. Her friend Sunny Lenarduzzi described Scraper, who went by the name "Mindy the Lion" online, as an inspiration. "I always had such a mad amount of respect for how great she was at what she did," Lenarduzzi said. "The thing with Mindy is that she lived such a full life. If there's any solace in this, it's that she did more than most people do by 80 in her short time here on Earth." Read more from CBC British Columbia<doc-sep>Share this Story: 'They wanted everyone to live their best lives': Friends, family share tributes to three killed in Shannon Falls 'They wanted everyone to live their best lives': Friends, family share tributes to three killed in Shannon Falls Photo by Submitted / PNG Article content Rose Huet woke up to the tragic news of her friends’ deaths on Thursday morning, local time, in Spain. A friend had messaged her on Facebook informing her that Ryker Gamble, 30, and Alexey Lyakh, two of her high school classmates, along with Megan Scraper, someone she had recently collaborated with on a project, had died in a devastating accident this week at Shannon Falls south of Squamish. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'They wanted everyone to live their best lives': Friends, family share tributes to three killed in Shannon Falls Back to video “It was immediate sadness,” Huet said. “I was always so impressed with how they wanted to live their life to the fullest.” Like thousands of others, Huet was familiar with the travel vlogging her high school friends were doing, which enabled them to visit Europe, South America and Southeast Asia — something she always dreamed of doing. “I always wanted to travel, but I was always a little scared to actually do it,” she said from a hostel in Spain. On Friday, the social media group that Lyakh, Scraper, and Gamble’s belonged to called High on Life posted a video on YouTube, saying they will continue to promote their friends’ goal of living life to the fullest. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or In May, with their encouragement, Huet decided to live out what she had long hoped to do, and has since been travelling to a number of destinations. It was their mentality of “living life to its fullest” that brought her there. The sudden news of their passing made her reflect on their time at Hugh McRoberts Secondary School in Richmond amid years of life apart. “Not only were they everyone’s friend, but they were genuinely nice guys to their core and made a point of including everyone. They wanted everyone to live their best lives, even back then,” Huet said. “There wasn’t anybody that was excluded; high school can be cliquey, but not with them.” Photo by FACEBOOK / PNG In December 2017, a project in partnership with a local magazine brought Huet to collaborate with Megan Scraper as well. As an owner of her own social media marketing business, Scraper was lovely and helpful and strongly motivated, she said. “When I found out (Megan and Alexey) were going out, I thought it couldn’t have been more perfect that they were together,” Huet said. The couple had recently celebrated five years together. On Tuesday, when the three were walking along the edge of a pool system above Shannon Falls, Scraper slipped — and as Lyakh and Gamble went to help, they fell as well. Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Rob Mangelsdorf, Gamble’s cousin, said Gamble lived an adventurous life travelling the world, but will ultimately be remembered for attempting to help his best friend before he died. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Even in his final act on this Earth he was trying to save the life of his very best friend,” Mangelsdorf said. “He’d known (his friend) his whole life, since they were little, little kids. They were inseparable, absolutely inseparable their whole lives.” Mangelsdorf said a fourth friend who was on that hike and saw what happened notified Gamble’s mother of the tragic news. “My understanding is they just went for a hike, they weren’t doing anything silly,” Mangelsdorf said. Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Gamble did a prolific amount of volunteer work that included training youth at a Vancouver boxing facility and helping to raise money for orphaned children. As the families try to cope with the deaths, tributes and messages from friends, followers and travel vloggers alike continue to pour into social media. “All three had a fearlessness about them in the pursuit of their own happiness, and an inclusiveness about them that said, ‘hey you! I see you! Adventure is waiting for you. Go out there in the world and get yours.” — With a file from The Canadian Press bmahichi@postmedia.com Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vancouver Sun Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Vancouver Sun Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>
Share this Story: Three video bloggers dead after accident at Shannon Falls Three video bloggers dead after accident at Shannon Falls Photo by Facebook Article content Members of a popular YouTube travel blogging collective are among the three people who died after being swept into one of the pools at Shannon Falls in Squamish Tuesday. Family members of Ryker Gamble confirmed his passing to Postmedia in a statement. Friends and social media posts identified Alexey Lyakh and Megan Scraper as the others killed. The trio were all in their late 20s and early 30s. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Three video bloggers dead after accident at Shannon Falls Back to video Gamble was part of a travel vlogging group known as High on Life SundayFundayz that counted more than a million followers on Instagram alone. The group aimed to inspire those watching to “embrace all of life’s opportunities with a positive outlook and energy.” Photo by Submitted / PNG Messages of condolences and tributes poured in online from friends, family and followers. “The world has lost a great human being with the passing of Ryker Gamble. Your bright personality will be greatly missed,” one person wrote on Facebook. Article content “May you have many adventures where you are now,” another wrote. Photo by Facebook The adventure group’s core members were a trio consisting of Gamble, Lyakh and a third surviving friend. They began making videos in high school and maintained their friendships despite attending separate universities. Their lifelong bond eventually rose to success when they began travelling and compiling footage of their adventures, posting it for millions of viewers. Gamble, Lyakh and another group member, Justis Price Brown, made headlines in 2016 and earned bans from U.S. federal lands after they participated in an out-of-bounds excursion on a sensitive hot spring in Yellowstone National Park. They were ordered to pay fines and served a week in jail. Photo by Jenelle Schneider / PROVINCE Scraper, Lyakh’s girlfriend, launched her own social media marketing business that came with travelling around the world. A post last month showed Scraper and Lyakh celebrating five years together. On Tuesday, the three had hiked up Shannon Falls and went into one of the pool systems to swim. When Scraper slipped and fell, Lyakh and Gamble attempted to save her but were all also swept away into a pool system 30 metres below A delicate search and rescue operation stretching into two days turned into a recovery mission. Wednesday evening, Squamish RCMP confirmed that emergency crews made an aerial drop into the steep mountainside area with rope access, and recovered the bodies. “Currently all teams are being cleared from the area until then the park remains closed. I can’t say enough about the incredible skilled work done today by the RCMP teams along with Squamish SAR,” said Cpl. Sascha Banks in a statement. Article content Heavy water flow and an extremely difficult terrain were a challenge for the crew involved in the efforts. Shannon Falls runs through a number of pool systems, and the one which the three had gone into was accessible, Banks said. “There’s some accessible trails from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola as well as you can hike up the sides of Shannon Falls to get to that area,” she said. “It looks beautiful, it’s a sunny day, but given the extensive water flow that comes off the mountains, and the number of incidents that we’ve had in the Squamish area lately, people just need to be prepared.” Photo by Francis Georgian / PNG Since the Sea to Sky Gondola opened in 2014, the location has been gaining popularity from both locals and tourists. But in light of this tragedy, the RCMP and Squamish SAR are reminding the public that the pool systems and hard to reach areas can pose a serious risk. “Unless you have the knowledge of that area, the expertise and the right equipment you should not be up there,” Banks said. John Willcox of Squamish SAR, said they have responded to a number of accidents in the pools, though adds that this is the first fatality he has responded to. “We’ve had a number of dogs that have gone into the water, and people that have slipped into the water as well. Fortunately in the past they have been able to be rescued,” Willcox said.