Another slide down Lion’s Den bluff, another rescue

For the second time in two months, first responders were called to Lion’s Den Nature Preserve in the Town of Grafton to rescue someone who had fallen down the slope at the park.

According to the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Sarah Thompson, 21, of Marshall, Wis., slid down the bluff just before 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, when the gravel gave way beneath her as she was standing near the edge of the bluff with a group of friends.

Thompson was rescued and was brought back to the top of the bluff about 2:15 p.m. and was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton where she was treated for an ankle injury, according to a Sheriff’s Office press release.

The Nature Preserve was closed to patrons while rescue operations were underway.

Fire departments from Grafton, Port Washington, Waubeka, Saukville and Thiensville assisted in the rescue.

Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Director Andrew Struck said the matter is still under review but said it appears the woman had left the designated trail when the ground gave way.

“The trails are set back sufficiently at this time to prevent them from being undercut by any bluff slumps, but we will be reviewing this further,” he said.

He said it’s common for people to go off the official trail and meander through the preserve.

“There are many undesignated trails, although we continually try to close them off, which we don’t maintain and don’t allow use of,” he said. “Of course, we can’t prevent all the social trails that have developed.

“We will probably consider additional signage — we have a lot posted already — much has been vandalized and removed over time.  We continue to replace missing or vandalized signage though.”

On May 22, a 20-year-old woman and her 16-year-old sister were rescued after they slid about 20 feet down the bluff while trying to retrieve their dog, which had also slid down the bluff.

In June, Struck met with Grafton Fire Chief Bill Rice to provide more parking space for emergency vehicles when called to the 73-acre preserve.

The number of Lion’s Den visitors has doubled in recent months during the Covid-19 crisis, heightening the issue.