From The Princess Bride (1987) to Blazing Saddles (1974), our favorite protagonists have been falling victim to quicksand since cinema began. But for those who thought getting caught in this mucky goo was just a thing of fiction, think again. Quicksand is a real, natural phenomenon, often found at sites like the narrow canyons of Arches National Park in Utah. Just this past week, one unlucky hiker had a movie moment of his own.
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John Marshall, the incident commander for the Grand County Search and Rescue Team, has had a few run-ins with quicksand. His first time tackling the substance was in 2014, when he rescued a 78-year-old woman. Turns out, she was stuck about 2 miles from where this most recent incident occured.
At 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, Marshall got word that he would need to make use of his special services again. "I was just rolling out of bed," he told CNN. "I'm scratching my head, going, 'Did I hear that right? Did they say quicksand?'"
The hiker, who had set out on a 20-mile trip two days before, found himself stuck in the sticky mixture, which frequently liquidifies in the canyons at this site. He made the right call, activating an emergency satellite beacon to alert nearby responders, who arrived with a drone, ladders, and boards to help get him out.
What Exactly Is Quicksand?
For those unfamiliar with the scientific definition, quicksand is a colloidal hydrogel that liquifies under stress. On the outside, it seems solid, which is what makes it so deceptive.
However, not to worry, because according to science, you can't actually fully sink in quicksand. The density of quicksand tends to be double the density of the human body, which means that you can only sink so far before your body decides to float or remain upright in the sand.
"In quicksand, you're extremely buoyant," Marshal explained. "Most people won't sink past their waist in quicksand."
The canyons in Utah's park contain sand with very fine-grained particles, which leaves plenty of space for water to fill the gaps. When it rains, water pressure moves the sand grains further apart, removing the friction that usually makes sand a walkable surface.
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