During the holiday weekend, a hiker disappeared in Yosemite National Park after being swept away by the swift currents of a frigid creek, swollen by California's melting record-breaking winter snowpack. Hayden T. Klemenok was hiking with a group near Upper Chilnualna Falls on Sunday when the incident occurred, according to a statement from the National Park Service. Around 2 p.m., he entered Chilnualna Creek close to the trail junction, and hasn't been seen since.

The creek section where Klemenok disappeared is approximately twelve miles south of Yosemite Valley, an area characterized by numerous waterfalls and cascades that drop hundreds of feet. Klemenok's parents shared with The San Francisco Chronicle that according to his friends, the 24-year-old from Petaluma, California, had been trying to cool off on the hot day by getting on all fours to splash water on his face. Tragically, his hands lost their grip, and he was pulled into the churning water. His mother, Michelle Klemenok, described the situation as a parent's worst nightmare.

California officials have issued repeated warnings about the heightened dangers present in the state's rivers, streams, and lakes this year due to the substantial snowmelt. The icy water temperatures are particularly treacherous, capable of causing a rapid loss of muscle control, increasing the risk of drowning. Despite these warnings, several tragic incidents have already occurred.