Morning Report Excerpts
August 16 - 31, 2000
00-429 - Pinnacles NM (CA) - Follow-up on Rescue
On July 27th, William Ayers, 22, died from injuries suffered in a
30-foot fall from the popular "Tourist Trap" climbing route on July
22nd. Ayers was wearing a helmet, but received a blow to the back of
his head just below his helmet line. The injury produced severe
inter-cranial swelling. [Jerry Case, CR, PINN, 8/9]
00-487 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Injury from Confrontation with Bear
A park visitor received minor injuries during an encounter with a
grizzly bear on the Avalanche Peak trail in the eastern portion of the
park on the morning of Sunday, July 30th. The encounter occurred when
Martin Ostmann, 18, and his companion, Matthew Ramey, both of Webster
Groves, Missouri, had hiked approximately two-thirds of the way up the
trail. They had stopped briefly to remove some of their clothing
layers when they heard the two bears - probably an adult female
grizzly bear with a sub-adult - approaching them. Both men
immediately dropped to the ground and curled up, face down, with their
hands protecting their necks. The men were approached by the adult
grizzly bear, who bit and sniffed Ostmann and then approached Ramey
and sniffed at him. Ostmann received a minor puncture wound on his
wrist and other minor abrasions to his hand; Ramey was not injured.
The two hikers were able to hike down to the trailhead. About ten
minutes after the first encounter, they came upon the same two bears.
They again dropped to the ground and protected their necks while the
adult bear sniffed at them. The bear eventually left them alone, and
the two were able to make their way down to the trailhead, where they
reported the two incidents to park staff. Ostmann received initial
emergency medial treatment by park staff and was then driven to the
Lake Hospital by Ramey for additional care. He was treated and
released. [Public Affairs, YELL, 7/31]
00-488 - Glacier NP (MT) - Backpacker Injured in Bear Encounter
Kelly Krpata, 26, and Kim Taffer, 27, both from Ann Arbor, Michigan,
were hiking down the Swiftcurrent Pass trail on the morning of August
14th when they rounded a bend and encountered a dark brown adult bear
coming towards them in a full-blown charge. Krpata, who was in the
lead, dropped into a fetal position just as the bear hit him. Taffer
dropped to the ground and curled up in some bushes just off the trail.
During the 10-second attack, Krpata sustained laceration and puncture
wounds to his thighs and hips and his pack and sleeping pad were
damaged. The bear then approached Taffer, but left her alone and
departed. Investigating rangers believe that their response minimized
Krpata's injuries and probably prevented the bear from mauling Taffer.
They told the rangers that they were very glad that they had watched
the park's backcountry video, as they otherwise would not have known
what to do during a bear attack. Krpata was transported by litter to
the trailhead, then taken by ambulance to Browning Hospital for
treatment of his injuries. The attack occurred in an area of thick
sub-alpine fur near the head of Bullhead Lake. The trail has been
temporarily closed between Swiftcurrent Pass and the trailhead in Many
Glacier Valley. [Amy Vanderbilt, PIO, GLAC, 8/14]
00-489 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Rescue
On the afternoon of August 2nd, rangers responded to reports of a
woman stranded in mid-stream by rapidly rising water in the West Prong
of the Little Pigeon River, a classic Appalachian stream with a very
steep gradient and partially obstructed channel. Julie Bateman, 26, of
Hershey, Pennsylvania, had waded across the river while the water was
low, then tried to wade back after heavy rains had swollen the river's
volume. She made it part way across before deciding it was too risky
to continue on her own, then climbed onto a partly submerged boulder.
Rangers threw her a line, used the line to shuttle protective
equipment to her, then ferried an inflatable kayak across the river
and set up a Tyrolean highline to raise Bateman off the rock and pull
her to the near-side shore. Bateman's parents and boyfriend were on
scene and watched the entire rescue. [Kevin Moses, GRSM, 8/14]
00-491 - Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - MVA with Two Fatalities
On August 14th, Curtis Demoss, 41, was attempting to pull out a
vehicle with his jeep when the tow rope snapped and the jeep plunged
down a 40- to 50-foot embankment, landing upside down in about 25 feet
of water. Rangers were called in. They found a four-year-old boy who
had been ejected from the jeep into the water and learned that Demoss
and another child - Bronson, age two - were still in the vehicle.
Divers were called in and found the bodies of Curtis and Bronson
Demoss inside the jeep. An investigation is underway. [Dispatch, LAME,
8/14]
Grand Teton NP (WY) - Glade Fire (100 acres, 0% containment, 62
FF/OH): This lightning-caused fire is 12 miles north of Colter Bay.
Flagg Ranch Lodge, a campground, residences and NPS quarters have been
evacuated. Air tankers were successful in slowing the fire's spread to
the east, toward the lodge, and south of the Grassy Lake road.
Spotting has been observed a quarter to a half mile ahead of the main
fire. Crews continue to work on spot fires. Yellowstone NP reports
that this fire MAY cause the closure of the south entrance road at
some point, but the road remains open at present.
Grand Teton NP (WY) - Moran Fire (250 acres, 0% containment, one FF):
The fire is burning with great intensity in very heavy fuels in the
Teton Range west of Jackson Lake at Moran Canyon. The Moran patrol
cabin has been destroyed. The Lower Berry patrol cabins, six miles to
the north, have been wrapped and sprinkled.
Bridger-Teton NF (WY) - Enos Fire (2,500 acres, 0% containment, Type
II team, 17 FF/OH): The fire is burning in the Teton Wilderness 33
miles northeast of Jackson. Intense fire activity has been reported.
Concerns include both Forest Service and NPS patrol cabins, outfitter
camps, and developments south of the fire in the Buffalo Creek area.
Day/Date: Thursday, August 17, 2000 ALMANAC
On this date in 1790, President George Washington wrote a letter to
the Jewish congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, affirming that the
U.S. government "gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no
assistance." The congregation's place of worship, designed by the
noted architect Peter Harrison, was designated Touro Synagogue
National Historic Site in 1946.
00-492 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN) - Contractor Electrocution
Roger Bonnetau, 30, of Manitoba, Canada, the manager of a bridge
construction project on Foothills Parkway, was electrocuted yesterday
afternoon while trouble-shooting a machine used to mix concrete.
Bonnetau's co-workers performed CPR on him until emergency service
units arrived. He was then flown to the University of Tennessee
Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. Bonnetau was a
manager for PCL, Inc., a Florida company that has a contract to build
two of ten bridges in the "missing link" section of the parkway. This
is the second fatality to occur at the same job site in the past year.
[Jason Houck, CR, GRSM, 8/17]
00-493 - Chickasaw NRA (OK) - Attempted Murder
Ranges were called from their residences to deal with a fight in
Buckhorn campground at 5 a.m. on July 30th. Rangers Scott Kalna and
Darrin Roberts found Bryan Knight lying in his tent, slipping in and
out of consciousness. Four men involved in the assault fled on foot.
County EMS was called in, but Knight refused transportation to the
hospital. Sulphur PD officers set up a roadblock at the campground at
Kalna's request. Officers stopped two pickup trucks with the four men
on board. Ranger DeDe Mladucky arrested the four - Kenny McGough, Mark
Nabors, Derek Williams and Matt Dixon - and took them to the county
jail. They were interviewed and admitted to assaulting Knight. Kalna
took the unwilling Knight to the hospital for treatment of a severe
head concussion. The doctor said that the injury was consistent with
what would be caused by the long mag flashlight that was reportedly
used in the assault. Knight was admitted to the hospital. [Deanna
Mladucky, Acting CR, CHIC, 8/8]
00-495 - Sequoia NP (CA) - Search and Rescue
Rangers received a report on the evening of August 9th of a woman who
had been seriously injured in a fall from a horse on the Alta trail
about four miles from the trailhead at Wolverton. Park medic Eric
Gabriel was flown by the park's contract helicopter to a nearby
helispot as darkness descended. He then hiked an additional mile to
the scene and determined that Tamara Bluestein, 40, had a possible
pelvic fracture that could be life threatening. Twelve additional
rescue personnel were assembled by IC Charlie Strickfaden to assist
with the carryout. The rescue team carried a wheeled litter and
additional medical equipment four miles up the trail, arriving around
midnight. Bluestein was transported down the trail in the dark to a
waiting ambulance. The entire rescue operation took about 10 hours to
complete. [Bob Wilson, Acting CR, SEKI, 8/15]
00-496 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Rescue
On the afternoon of August 13th, Maureen Rowe, 51, was glissading down
a steep slope in the area of Meany Crest (around 6,700 feet) when she
lost control and slid into rocks at the base of the snow slope. Her
partner called the park on a cell phone and reported the accident,
stating that Rowe had sustained massive head injuries. Rangers Mike
Gauthier, Tom Westman and John Leonard flew to the scene in an
Aerocopters Jet Ranger and stabilized Rowe. The helicopter then
continued to Camp Muir, where rangers Dee Patterson and Jeremy Shanks
were picked up along with rescue gear. They were flown to the scene
and assisted in transporting Rowe to a landing zone. The helicopter
returned to the LZ, picked up Rowe, and flew her to Sunrise, landing
at night. Rowe was then transferred to a waiting Airlift Northwest
helicopter and flown to Harborview Hospital, where she was treated for
massive head lacerations, a compressed fracture of the right frontal
lobe of the skull, a fracture of the orbit of the right eye, two
fractured cheekbones, and a fractured elbow. She is currently only
partially responsive and doctors are continuing to evaluate her mental
status. The consensus at the hospital is that Rowe would have died
that night if she had not been evacuated to the hospital so quickly.
Rick Kirschner was IC. [Linda Birkett, MORA, 8/15]
00-499 - Denali NP (AK) - Employee-Bear Confrontation
Seasonal backcountry ranger Carlin Kaufman, 21, had a run-in with a
black bear on August 8th that had a favorable outcome but led to the
temporary closure of the McKinley Bar trail near Wonder Lake. The
following account was extracted from a report by Tim Mowry in the
Fairbanks Daily News Miner: Kaufman was on a day-hike patrol of the
area when she thought she heard something behind her. She turned
around twice, but found nothing in sight; the third time she turned
around, though, she found herself staring into the eyes of a big black
bear who was only a couple of feet away. Kaufman threw a rock and hit
him in the head. The bear backed up a few feet, then started circling
toward her. She screamed obscenities at the bear and continued
throwing rocks at him, but he declined to move away. After ten
minutes, the bear was still only a few feet away. Kaufman then ran for
the forest, about 30 yards away, with the objective of getting a tree
between her and the bear. The bear pursued, though, so she broke off
and returned to the gravel bar. She threw more rocks at him, but the
bear continued to advance. Kaufman said she knew that the bear was
stalking her and that he saw her as prey. Said Kaufman: "I was
thinking, 'This is going to hurt so bad when he eats me.' When my
voice would falter or get softer he would get closer. When I averted
my eyes from him he would get closer. The minute you started acting
weak he picked right up on it. I knew I wanted to be aggressive back
toward it." Kaufman accordingly took the offensive, reaching out and
smacking the bear on the head with her hand. The surprised bear backed
away a few yards. Kaufman then reached into her pack, pulled out a
radio, cranked up the squelch as high as it would go, and stuck the
blasting radio in the bear's face. The bear ran off about 30 yards and
stopped; Kaufman slowly retreated, then bushwacked through the woods
to the park road, where a tour bus picked her up. Bear management
technician Ed Vorisek confirms that the bear was probably stalking
Kaufman, and added this comment: "She handled it in the best way
possible. You need to be aggressive with a curious black bear." The
trail was closed while rangers searched unsuccessfully for the bear,
but has been reopened for day use. Rangers are advising hikers in the
area to travel in groups. [Fairbanks Daily News Miner, 8/16, via John
Quinley, Public Affairs, ARO]
00-500 - Bryce Canyon NP (UT) - Visitors Injured by Lightning Strike
On August 16th, two park visitors were injured by a lightning strike
at the Inspiration Point overlook. Nicholas Baldwin of England was
standing under a low tree near the overlook when he was injured by an
indirect strike. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, then
flown to Salt Lake City. He is in critical but stable condition. A
second, as yet unidentified visitor was taken by private vehicle to a
local hospital, where he was treated and released for flash burns from
what is believed to have been the same lightning strike. [Clyde
Stonaker, BRCA, 8/17]
00-412 - Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - Follow-up on PWC Accident
A Kawasaki jet ski collided with a 20-foot Bayliner in the Whiskey
Creek arm of Whiskeytown Lake around 7:30 p.m. on July 15th, seriously
injuring PWC operator Glen Mashburn, 48, and his five-year-old
daughter. Mashburn remains hospitalized. The girl suffered a lacerated
liver, two fractured arms, a head wound, and various contusions.
Occupants of the Bayliner received only minor injuries. Investigators
have determined that Mashburn was traveling at high speed and jumping
the wake of a third vessel when he collided with the Bayliner, which
was traveling at less than 10 mph. The local DA issued a criminal
complaint on August 18th, charging Mashburn with one count of felony
child endangerment and one count of reckless and negligent operation
of a vessel. This was the first of three PWC accidents with injuries
on the lake over the past 30 day. [Alan Foster, SA, WHIS, 8/18]
00-501 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - Rescue
Dean Shriner, 47, began to suffer from the symptoms of high-altitude
pulmonary edema (HAPE) while camped at 12,000 feet atop the Fuhrer
Finger route on August 11th. Shriner's condition continued to
deteriorate through the night (gurgling sounds were heard in his
lungs) and he was semi-conscious and non-ambulatory by the next
morning. His partner employed a cell phone to call 911 and request a
rescue. Rangers Craig Patterson, David Gottlieb, John Leonard and Matt
Hendrikson were assembled as a climbing/rescue team and flown to the
scene in an Army Chinook. The location proved to be too steep for a
landing, so the team was lowered to the mountain at 13,000 feet via
the helicopter's jungle penetrator cable hoist. They climbed down to
Shriner's location and prepped him for evacuation. Shriner, his
partner and the rescue team were then hoisted back into the ship and
flow directly to Madigan Hospital. Shriner was confirmed to be
suffering from HAPE. [Mike Gauthier, IC, MORA, 8/17]
00-502 - Sequoia National Park (CA) - Search and Rescue
On August 13th, Michael and Celeste Thomas of Tulare, California,
hiked to the Muir Grove of giant sequoias from the Dorst Creek
campground. They agreed to meet at a designated location near the
trail's entrance to the grove. When she failed to arrive, he hiked
back to the point where he'd last seen her, then out to their car.
Thomas contacted ranger Rob Lewis and the two men made a fruitless
hasty search of the area. A full search was begun the next day. Twelve
rangers were assigned under IC Charlie Strickfaden. No sign of her was
found that day or into the following morning, so the search effort
escalated on the 14th. She was found that afternoon in the Dorst Creek
drainage by an observer in the park's contract helicopter. She was in
good condition and only mildly dehydrated. [Bob Wilson, Acting CR,
SEKI, 8/18]
00-503 - Wolf Trap Farm Park (VA) - EMS Response; Life Saved
On the evening of August 17th, rangers were notified of a visitor
having trouble breathing at the end of the evening's performance.
National Capital Region's medical director, Dr. Steve Levin, who
frequently volunteers at the park, responded to the incident along
with the Wolf Trap ranger staff. The 63-year-old female patient went
into cardiac arrest shortly after the crew arrived. While the park's
AED was being set-up, Dr. Levin performed a precordial thump and jaw
thrust which restored the patient's pulse and respirations. She was
transferred to a Fairfax County medic unit. [Chris Jones, CR, WOTR,
8/18]
00-507 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Rescue
River patrol rangers Melissa Dragon, Alicia Hill and Bryan Hunter were
on safety patrol at the bottom of Middle Keeney rapids on the
afternoon of August 4th. They were positioned directly above a
particularly dangerous obstruction full of undercut rocks and sieves
known as the Meatgrinder or Killer Falls. The river was running at a
moderately high level and most of the current was pushing towards the
Meatgrinder. A commercial raft hit a large hydraulic in Middle Keeney
sideways, dumping three people into the water. One person was rescued
immediately by the guide, but the other two were quickly swept
downstream toward the Meatgrinder. The rangers quickly rescued one of
them with a throw bag, then chased the other, who was becoming very
tired and getting closer to the rocks. He was rescued just before
being swept into the undercut rocks. [Gary Hartley, CR, NERI, 8/7]
00-508 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Rescue
Park dispatch received a call via satellite telephone on August 4th
reporting a boat stuck at Hance Rapids. The caller said that a 37-foot
Western Rivers J-rig had wrapped up on a rock in the rapids. There
were no reported injuries among the 22 people on board. Crew attempts
to free the boat had been underway for four hours. The park helicopter
flew to the site on a reconnaissance mission to determine what actions
would be necessary to rescue the passengers and free the raft. It was
determined that a short haul operation would be necessary to extract
all those on the raft. All 22 people were taken to shore and camped
the night with passengers from another Western Rivers boat. Rescue
personnel were flown back to the South Rim. On the following morning,
they returned to attempt to free the raft. A rescue/support boat from
Hatch River Expeditions, launched at Lees Ferry, assisted with salvage
operations. The raft was finally freed and its passengers resumed
their trip down the Colorado. [Bil Vandergraff, IC, GRCA, 8/7]
00-509 - Whiskeytown NRA (CA) - Rescue
On the afternoon of August 6th, 13-year-old Cameron Aido dove off a
swim platform at the Brandy Creek beach and went under shortly
thereafter. He was under for about five seconds before NPS lifeguard
Jessica Lauppe pulled him back to the surface and brought him safely
to shore. Cameron was transported to a local hospital, where he was
treated and released. [CRO, WHIS, 8/7]
00-511 - Shenandoah NP (VA) - Rescue
On the afternoon of August 19th, park dispatch received a cell phone
report that a 17-year-old ROTC student from Manassas had fallen 15
feet off a ledge on the summit of Old Rag Mountain. A ground
evacuation team led by ranger Bob Kreiling and including
ranger/paramedic John Patmore and ranger/park medic Scot Bowen
responded. Prior to their arrival, the girl's condition was monitored
by a nurse and later by an orthopedic surgeon, both hikers who
happened to be passing by. An hour after the initial report, the
doctor reported by phone that the girl was suffering from one or two
spinal fractures and possible internal injuries, adding that he felt
her condition was deteriorating. A Park Police helicopter piloted by
sergeant Kevin Duckworth and staffed by two rescue technicians -
sergeant Kathleen Harasek and officer David Stallman - was dispatched.
They picked up two rangers en route to the scene. Ranger/park medic
Dixon Freeland and ranger Bill Cardwell were inserted on the mountain
via a jungle penetrator cable, where they joined the early arriving
members of the ground team. Medics began administering advanced life
support measures and prepared the girl for evacuation. The litter was
then hoisted aboard Eagle 1, which was hovering 60 feet overhead. The
girl was then flown to Fairfax Memorial Hospital. Each year, the Park
Police aviation unit and Shenandoah rangers train for exactly this
type of mission. [Clayton Jordan, DR, SHEN, 8/19]
00-512 - Bighorn Canyon NRA (MT/WY) - Rescue
On August 14th, Mike Mueller was wakeboarding on Bighorn Lake when he
attempted to do a "tantrum," or reverse flip. Mueller landed wrong,
though, and fractured his femur. Rangers Lance Twombly and Mike Kujala
and assistant chief ranger Chris Ryan responded, applied a Sager
splint and cervical collar, administered oxygen, and took vitals. No
helicopter was available for transport, so Mueller was taken to a
hospital in Billings by a local ambulance service. Doctors determined
that he'd sustained a spiral fracture of his femur. Mueller underwent
surgery to have a metal rod installed in his femur. [Chris Ryan, ACR,
BICA, 8/21]
00-515 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Concession Employees Seriously Injured
Three Amfac Parks and Resorts employees were seriously burned after
falling into a thermal pool in the Lower Geyser Basin in the Old
Faithful area between 10 and 11 p.m. on August 21st. Sara Hulphers,
20, of Oroville, Washington, Tyler Montague, 18, of Salt Lake City,
Utah, and Lance Buchi, 18, also of Salt Lake City, had walked into the
basin to swim in the Firehole River with a group of four or five
friends. After swimming, members of the group split up and headed back
to their vehicles. Cries for help were heard from the three, and their
companions ran back to help. The three evidently fell into a large
thermal feature, possibly Cavern Springs. Montague and Buchi were able
to get out of the pool on their own; they were helped to their
vehicles and taken to Old Faithful, where they received emergency
medical treatment from park staff. Friend helped Hulphers from the
pool and remained with her until help arrived about a half-hour later.
Ambulances transported all three to West Yellowstone airport, where
they were flown by helicopter to Idaho Falls, then transferred to an
airplane and flown to Salt Lake City Burn Center. Hulphers received
third degree burns over her entire body; Montague has second and third
degree burns over 70% of his body; Buchi has third degree burns over
90 percent of his body. All three are currently listed in critical
condition. [Public Affairs, YELL, 8/22]
Day/Date: Friday, August 25, 2000 ALMANAC
On this date in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved an act of
Congress creating the National Park Service and directing it "to
conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild
life [in the national parks] and to provide for the enjoyment of the
same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired
for the enjoyment of future generations."
00-515 - Yellowstone NP (WY) - Follow-up on Serious Injuries to
Concession Employees
Amfac Parks and Resorts employee Sara Hulphers, 20, of Oroville,
Washington, has died from burns suffered when she and two other
employees - Tyler Montague, 18, and Lance Buchi, 18, both of Salt Lake
City - fell into a thermal feature in Lower Geyser Basin. A memorial
service will be held for her at Oroville High School at 2 p.m. on
Monday, August 28th. A scholarship has been set up in her name;
donations should be sent to Sara Hulphers Scholarship, Oroville
Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 1530, Oroville, WA 98844. Montague and
Buchi remain in critical but stable condition. Hulphers sustained
third degree burns over her entire body. Montague has second and third
degree burns over 90% of his body; Buchi has third degree burns over
90% of his body. A preliminary investigation of the accident has been
conducted. It appears that the three employees attempted to jump over
what they thought was a small creek. It was between 10 and 11 p.m. and
dark at the time; the moon was not up, and they didn't have a
flashlight. The three were a short distance behind the five others in
the group when they fell into Cavern Spring, a large, 187-degree
thermal feature. There is no evidence that alcohol was a factor.
[Public Affairs, YELL, 8/23-24]
00-517 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Lightning Strike with Numerous Visitor
Injuries
Lightning struck the pedestrian area along the rim between the El
Tovar Hotel and Hopi House during a thunderstorm on August 22nd. A
tour bus had just dropped off 17 passengers; they were walking to the
rim to look at the canyon when lightning struck a tree within 15 feet
of the group. Witnesses reported seeing a "lightning splash" travel
between the tree and a flagpole about 75 yards away. Rangers employed
triage protocols used in mass casualty incidents. Seven visitors were
taken by three ambulances to the park clinic. Injuries ranged from
temporary loss of hearing to unconsciousness to abrasions. All were
subsequently released. Guardian Ambulance and Amfac fire and security
personnel assisted with patient management. The lightning strike
occurred prior to the lunch hour, a time when many visitors are
typically walking along the rim. [Bil Vandergraff, IC, GRCA, 8/23]
00-518 - White Sands NP (NM) - Search and Rescue
On August 21st, ranger Garry Olson was notified of an overdue hiker in
the Alkali Flats area. Ranger Greg Kouns and facility manager John
Ford also responded. Nasem Rafi, 18, of Alpharetta, Georgia, had not
been seen for five hours. The temperature at the time was 97 degrees,
and Rafi reportedly had only a quart of water with her. The area was
searched by foot and ATV, but no sign of her was detected. An Army
helicopter from White Sands Missile Range picked up Olson and began an
air search. Rafi was spotted about six miles from the trailhead,
walking toward the lights of a military facility outside of the park.
She was moderately dehydrated, but otherwise in good condition. [Cliff
Spencer, IC/CR, WHSA, 8/22]
00-519 - Pictured Rocks NL (MI) - Rescue
On the afternoon of July 19th, park staff learned that a visitor had
fallen from a cliff near Munising Falls. Ranger Bill Smith and a
county ambulance crew responded. Lisa Tiberi, 21, of Woodbridge,
Illinois, was climbing on a ledge with a companion in an effort to
reach the top of the falls when she fell 12 to 15 feet, then tumbled
and slid another 25 feet before coming to a stop against a small tree.
She was stabilized, evacuated to Munising Memorial Hospital, then
flown to a hospital in Chicago to undergo surgery for a compression
fracture of the twelfth vertebra. Tiberi also fractured her left ankle
in the accident. The area around the falls is closed to the public for
safety and natural resource protection reasons. [Larry Hach, CR, PIRO,
8/10]
00-520 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Rescues
Heavy rainfall in the Delaware River basin on the afternoon and
evening of August 12th (the same storm that caused the widely reported
heavy flooding in northern New Jersey) caused a sudden, four-foot rise
in the river and stranded 39 visitors at park campsites on islands in
the Delaware. Rangers from the River District, personnel from the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and staff from commercial canoe
rental companies worked throughout the day on August 13th to recover
boats and equipment and shuttle surprised campers to take-out points.
There were no injuries, but one person was arrested for boating under
the influence. He was seen operating his motorized raft in an erratic
manner and was evidently celebrating the recovery of the raft, which
had washed away from his camp site during the night. [A.J. North, DR,
River District, 8/20]
00-523 - Denali NP (AK) - Rescue
A search for missing backcountry hiker Rachel Stanton, 25, of Grand
Canyon, Arizona, ended successfully late on the morning of August
20th. Stanton was expected to return from her trip into backcountry on
Friday, August 18th, and was last seen at Eielson Visitor Center two
days before that. She planned to hike over Thorofare Mountain to the
saddle between Mt. Galen and Thorofare, then return to the park road
via Little Stony Creek. The weather at the time of her hike was mostly
cloudy with scattered showers and snow at the 4,000-foot elevation.
Friends contacted rangers Saturday night to tell them Stanton was
overdue from her backcountry hike. Rangers began a ground and air
search early on the 20th. Stanton was spotted from a Firepro
helicopter at noon and was picked up and flown back to park
headquarters. She was in good shape. She said that she'd become lost
in poor visibility and ended up hiking into the wrong drainage. Once
she realized she had strayed from her route, she stopped and stayed
put until found. Tod Levesh was IC. [Jane Tranel, PIO, DENA, 8/20]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Water Filtration System Problem - Recovery Engineering, Inc. makes of
PUR water filtration systems, is advising consumers of a potential
problem with the StopTop carbon cartridge sold as an accessory with
its Voyageur, Scout and Explorer microbiological water purifiers. The
StopTop acts as a water bottle adapter and reduces the product's
purification agent (iodine) from treated water, thereby improving the
taste. Recent testing has revealed variations in the carbon used in
the StopTop that could interfere with the purifier's ability to fully
eliminate viruses in untreated water - but does not affect the
purifier's ability to remove cysts and bacteria. In order to insure
full anti-virus effectiveness, remove the StopTop and follow the use
instructions for handling difficult or extreme water conditions in the
use and care manual:
o Disconnect the StopTop carbon filter and pump water into a
temporary container at a rate of less than 10 strokes per
minute.
o Remove the inlet hose from the water source and pump the
purifier until air comes out of the output hose.
o Place the inlet hose into the temporary container and pump
water into your water bottle or canteen at a rate of fewer
than ten strokes per minute.
o Let the water stand for 20 minutes before consumption.
For more information, call 1-800-319-7753 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
CDT. [Public Health Service]
00-528 - Death Valley NP (CA) - Search
Ranger Bill Fitzpatrick checked a vehicle that appeared to have been
abandoned near Mahogany Flat campground on Friday, August 18th, and
found that it was an overdue rental car. Rangers and Inyo County
deputies investigated and a search was begun for Georgia resident
Christopher Marchant, 26. Navy, Army and California Highway Patrol
helicopters were employed and Inyo County SAR team members assisted in
the intensive search, which was conducted on Saturday and Sunday. On
Monday, rangers scaled back the operation to a ground search in high
probability areas. No sign of Marchant has been found. The park will
continue to search areas for clues. The incident has been turned over
to the Inyo County Sheriff's Office as a missing person investigation.
Ranger Dan Dellinges was IC. [Nancy Wizner, ACR, DEVA, 8/22]
00-529 - Mojave NP (CA) - Counterfeiting
An employee for Omega Toilet, a company that services outhouses in the
high desert area of the park, found a bundle of money inside at a
portable toilet at Kelso Depot on August 10th. The money had become
lodged in the suction hose he was using to clean the outhouse. He
found that the square bundle he extricated from the hose had $20 bills
wrapped in tape inside, and that all the bills had the same serial
number. He called the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Office in Lucerne
Valley and turned over the counterfeit bills to them. The bundle
contained 163 complete and two partial $20 bills. The Secret Service
was contacted and will lead in the investigation. [Chris Jefferson,
ACR, MOJA, 8/23]
00-530 - Big South Fork NRRA (KY/TN) - Resource Violations
On August 19th, ranger Tom Barnes came upon a number of freshly cut
poles at a campsite at the Alum Ford campground. He checked the site
and discovered over 50 walking sticks in various stages of completion.
The occupants of the camp - Jessica Holt and Richard Cooper - were
traveling around the country, manufacturing and selling walking sticks
in areas where hikers and campers congregate. Circumstances led Barnes
to call for additional support, and he was joined at the scene by
ranger Julie Parrish and Forest Service canine handler Gus Skinner.
Neither Holt nor Cooper was able to provide satisfactory
identification, so both were arrested. They were charged with theft of
government property, destruction of natural resources, possession of
drug paraphernalia, and various motor vehicle violations. Holt and
Cooper had an 18-month-old child with them who was turned over to the
Kentucky Department of Social Services. During the course of the
investigation, rangers learned that Cooper had eight known aliases,
that he had on occasion used six different social security numbers,
and that he was a fugitive from Texas for parole violations associated
with an aggravated robbery. Barnes was able to positively match 13 of
the walking sticks with freshly cut tree stumps in the area around the
campsite. On August 21st, Cooper and Holt appeared before a federal
magistrate and were found guilty of the charges. Holt was sentenced to
time served, a year's probation, and $300 in restitution and released;
Cooper was sentenced to five days in jail and a year's probation and
held for extradition to Texas. [Tim Grooms, Acting CR, BISO, 8/22]
00-531 - Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Resource Violation
A resource management employee on fire patrol on August 20th noted
damage to park property adjacent to railroad tracks that pass through
the park. The area involved is habitat for the federally-listed
endangered Karner Blue butterfly. Cable-laying work under contract by
the railroad damaged or destroyed the lupine plants that are the sole
source of food for the larval stage of the butterfly. Resource
management and protection staff returned to the site the following day
and contacted the crew doing the work . They confirmed that the crew
was responsible for the damage and ordered them to stop work. FWS
biologists and special agents were contacted. FWS was aware of the
project and had informed the involved parties of the sensitive nature
of the area. An environmental consulting firm hired by the railroad
had provided the contractor with a map identifying the location of the
lupine plants. It appears that the contractor changed the method
employed for laying cable, which resulted in the damage. The case is
being jointly investigated by the park and FWS. [Richard Littlefield,
CR, INDU, 8/24]
00-532 - Haleakala NP (HI) - Falling Fatality
On Saturday, August 12th, visitors saw a naked man deliberately jump
from the top of the 195-foot Makahiku Falls. They said that he
surfaced once before sinking in the pool at the base of the falls.
Local fire and EMS personnel assisted in locating the body, which was
found 12 feet under the surface of the pool. The victim was identified
as 23-year-old Joshua Bartholomew of Utah. Ranger Roger Mayo is
investigating for the park. Suicide has been ruled out by evidence
collected at the scene. [Greg Moss, HALE, 8/15]
00-538 - Grand Canyon NP (AZ) - Attempted Suicide
Ranger Mike O'Neil came upon a vehicle on August 24th that had been
described in an ATL (attempt to locate) bulletin that the park had
received. Tracks led from the vehicle to the rim; the 40-year-old male
driver was found 100 feet below the rim, injured but alive. O'Neil and
ranger Matt Vandzura stabilized his injuries. He was then short-hauled
to the rim and flown by helicopter to Flagstaff Medical center, where
he's in critical but stable condition with head and facial injuries.
The ATL had been issued after the man's family found a suicide note.
[Nancy E. Mecham, IC, GRCA, 8/24]
00-539 - Glen Canyon NRA (AZ/UT) - Drowning
A five-year-old boy from Orem, Utah, was reported missing from his
family's campsite at Hansen Creek north of Bullfrog Marina around
mid-day on August 21st. He was found in about three feet of water, 15
feet from shore. CPR was begun by family members and continued by
rangers until the boy was medevaced to Page Hospital. He was then
flown to Salt Lake City, where he died on August 23rd. [David
Sandbakken, CI, GLCA, 8/24]
00-540 - Shenandoah NP (VA) - Rescue
On the afternoon of August 25th, the park was notified that a
23-year-old woman had been injured in a fall in White Oak Canyon.
Mindy Shultz was swinging from a rope near a pool at the base of a
waterfall when she fell onto a rock slab underneath the surface. An
evacuation team led by ranger Liz Yee and a technical rescue team led
by ranger Bill Cardwell responded. Shultz was found at the edge of the
water, and had an open compound fracture in her lower leg. Advanced
life support was begun while the technical rescue team rigged a series
of belay points. She was extricated from the rugged canyon and
evacuated up the trail; the entire operation took over seven hours.
Shultz was taken by ambulance to Culpepper Hospital and is in good
condition. Ranger Bob Kreiling was the incident commander. [Clayton
Jordan, DR, Central District, SHEN, 8/26]
CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Cape Cod NS (MA) - Dolphin Stranding, Rescue
On August 26th, rangers assisted personnel from the New England
Aquarium and the Cape Cod Stranding Network in rescuing approximately
30 stranded Atlantic white-sided dolphins. The dolphins were seen the
previous evening in the Herring River, an embayment off of the
Wellfleet harbor and Cape Cod Bay. Low tides had kept them from
returning to deeper waters, and some had run aground. Rescuers
assembled the following morning to begin herding the dolphins to
deeper water during high tide. Rangers, volunteers and personnel from
the Wellfleet Harbor Master's Office, the Coast Guard (Provincetown
Station), Mass Audubon, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
used acoustic pinging devises and boats to encourage the dolphins out
of the Herring River into the Wellfleet Harbor and further out into
Cape Cod Bay. Six of the dolphins died during the night, probably due
to stress from the stranding. Dolphins, pilot whales and other marine
mammals occasionally enter the area due to feeding or other activity,
become confused in the dropping tide, and become stranded. (Kevin
Fitzgerald, CR, CACO)
