RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Wednesday, March 15, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-37 - Denali - Follow-up on Climbers

Although unable to determine the nature of three objects spotted below
Denali Pass on Friday, rangers are convinced that they are in fact the
bodies of the three Japanese climbers. A flattened tent was also observed
at the team's 17,200' camp. All parties agree that the climbers would have
been moving during the good weather of the last few days if they were alive.
Two Swiss climbers were flown in on Sunday to try a traverse up West
Buttress and down Muldrow. They have agreed to try to identify the objects
seen below the pass, and will try to secure the tent and its contents at the
park's rescue cache at 17,200'. Meanwhile, solo climber D.S., chief
guide for Genet Expeditions, a mountaineering concession at Denali,
continues his ascent of McKinley. The last contact with him was on Friday,
March 10th, when he used his radio to communicate with a plane flying
overhead. At that time, he was at 16,000' on the West Rib, rather than on
his planned route up Cassin Ridge. His intention was to move to the Balcony
Camp at 17,000' on the 11th, then try for the summit on the 12th. One of
D.S.'s friends was to fly over the mountain on Monday to see if D.S.
was okay and/or wanted to be picked up. (Tom Griffiths, CR, DENA).

89-42 - Grand Canyon - Falling Fatality

Just after noon on the 13th, a Japanese tour group stopped at Second Trail
View on West Rim Drive. Although the tour leader advised the group of the
dangers of standing near the rim, Y.N., 22 (her birthday was on the
13th), moved close to the rim to pose for a photo, lost her balance and fell
backwards. She initially fell 12', then slipped over a ledge and fell an
additional 340'. Rangers found her body 40 minutes later. This is the
second such death in five days. On the 9th, 34-year-old G.E. of
Hasbergen, Germany, fell to her death from Mohave Point. (Dispatch, GRCA,
via Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO).

89-43 - Big Horn Canyon - Possible Car Bombing

9 p.m. on the 10th, A.M., a resident in the Bureau of
Reclamation's camp in the park, heard a loud explosion outside his house,
and found that the left front section of his car had been blown up. The Big
Horn County Sheriff's Office has since determined that the explosion was
caused by a bomb, and the FBI is now investigating. (Dean Garrett, CR,
BICA, via Jim Reilly, RAD/RMRO).

89-44 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway - MVA with Fatality

On the afternoon of March 9th, Park Police officers responded to a chain
reaction accident involving five cars and a Greyhound bus just north of
Route 193. Although traffic on the parkway had come to a halt, the driver
of the bus failed to stop his vehicle and hit the rear of a Mustang
containing five people; the two vehicles then collided with the remaining
four. All five occupants of the Mustang were transported to area hospitals
by ambulances and helicopters, including Eagle One. One of the occupants
was dead on arrival, and the other four are all in critical condition. Four
persons from the bus were transported for treatment of minor injuries, and
several others were treated at the scene. The bus was en route from New
York City to Daytona, Florida. Charges are pending against the driver.
(RAD/NCRO).

89-45 - Big Bend - Drug Seizure

Ranger Kathy Hambly and Border Patrolman John Davies arrested two Mexican
nationals and seized 7 1/2 pounds of marijuana following a stakeout of a
well-used horse trail in Castolon on the 13th. A pick-up truck and two
horses were also seized. (Phil Koepp, CR, BIBE).

89-46 - Yosemite - Death of Concession Employee

W.W.S., 31, of Mariposa, California, died in his sleep early on
the morning of the 13th at his residence in Mariposa. W.W.S. was an
employee of the Yosemite Park and Curry Company and a close friend of
Representative Tony Coelho. He was suffering from a serious illness
associated with epilepsy, (Roger Rudolph, CR, YOSE, via Herb Gercke,
RAD/WRO).

FIRE ACTIVITY

Big Bend: Blue Creek Fire - The fire is now controlled. A total of 615
acres were burned. Fire activity is expected to continue in Texas, southern
New Mexico and the southern portion of the Southeast.

TODAY IN NPS HISTORY

On March 15, 1939, Harry Liek, the superintendent of Mt. McKinley, became
the first man to have stood upon both the highest and lowest points in North
America while visiting Badwater in Death Valley.

STAFF STATUS

Dabney on leave; Andy Ringgold is acting chief of RAD. Belli at USFS
regional wilderness conference, Hodapp in Ohio for meeting with USAF.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities
FTS 343-4874/4875 or 202-343-4874/4875