Evel Knievel attempts crossing Snake River Canyon in 1974 (Photo Credit: Illona Gaynor CC V 2.0
via Flicker)

In 1974, American stuntman Evel Knievel attempted to cross Idaho’s Snake River Canyon aboard a steam-powered rocket. Unfortunately, a parachute deployed prematurely and caused the rocket and its occupant to drift to the canyon’s bottom. While Knievel emerged relatively unscathed from the incident, he never got a chance to attempt the stunt again.