FILE - The photogenic Blue Pool on the McKenzie River has become very popular in the Instagram era. But the cliffs around the pool rise between 10 and 60 feet, and the water averages 37 degrees — cold enough to cause immediate physical shock.
Brian Bull / KLCC
A 21-year-old man died Friday evening after jumping into Blue Pool at Tamolitch Falls in the Willamette National Forest, east of Eugene/Springfield.
According to a news release from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Kenny Truong of Kansas was visiting the area with friends and jumped into Blue Pool. Witnesses told first responders they saw him struggle to reach the shore before submerging in the frigid water. Despite efforts from bystanders and first responders, he died.
Blue Pool has become a popular destination, especially in the age of social media.
“It is also a place that has taken lives before and will take lives again if visitors do not understand what they are facing,” said the Linn County Sheriff’s Office in a press release.
The cliffs around the pool rise between 10 and 60 feet, and the water averages 37 degrees — cold enough to cause immediate physical shock. There is minimal to no cell phone reception in the remote area. It can take several hours for first responders to arrive.
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