• Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, May 19, 1989
• Date: Fri, 19 May 1989

                   RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Friday, May 19, 1989

INCIDENTS

89-97 - Denali - Climbing Fatalities

On the morning of May 18th, a climber on Mt. McKinley saw a body at the base
of a couloir adjacent to the West Rib and reported the discovery to ranger
Roger Robinson, who was camped, at the Medical Carp at 14,300'. Robinson
organized a group of climbers to investigate. The group reached the
location just before 1 p.m. and found the bodies of three English climbers.
The three (namies are being withheld pending notification of their families)
had signed out on May 1st for an ascent of the West Rib, a moderately
technical snow and ice climb. They were last seen on the 17th by two
volunteer members of an NPS patrol currently on the mountain. The
volunteers were descending the West Rib in deteriorating weather, and tried
to convince the British climbers to do so as well. Trie three men chose to
continue their climb. Although the couloir is steep and is off the normal
West Rib route, climbers often try to descend it directly to the basin at
14,000'. There have been several serious accidents and fatalities in this
couloir in the past. The bodies are being evacuated by a party of
volunteers directed by Robinson. Weather permitting, they will be flown
from the mountain today. (Tom Griffiths, CR, DENA, via CompuServe to
RAD/ARO and RAD/WASO).

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION

a) NATICNAL PARK SERVICE

* Ingraham Complex Fires - Everglades - 1,750 acres:

This complex of fires includes the Ingraham, Tomato and Pineglades Fires.
There's no estimate of containment.

b) OTHER AGENCY

* Camp Fire - Lincoln NF - 1,480 acres:

This fire was reported on Monday as the Wilderness Ridge Fire in Guadalupe
Mountains before it was determined to be in the national forest. The fire
escaped its lines and burned an additional 200+ acres yesterday. High winds
are hampering control efforts, but containment was predicted for last night.

2) FIRE ACTIVITY - 71 fires for 648 acres reported on Thursday. Year-to-
date totals for 1989: 19,760 fires for 505,965 acres.

3) ANALYSIS - Fire activity is continuing in southern and southwestern
areas. Ho resource shortages occurring.

4) PROGNOSIS - An increase in fire activity in the southwest is expected.
Winds will be increasing and wanner temperatures will prevail in the area.

(NIFCC Intelligence Section, 1630 MDT, 5/18/89).

OFFICE NOTES

1) John Benjamin at Glen Canyon would like to talk with any park using
seasonals as divers. Please call him at the park or contact him via
CompuServe. His address on the latter is GLCA-CR. (Butch Farabee,
RAD/WASO).

2) Hank Hughlett, chief ranger at St. Croix NSR, recently completed the 80-
hour FLFJC physical fitness coordinators training program. He reports that
the course was very good and believes it will be of use in the park's
fitness program. Hank received considerable support from both the park
superintendent and regional office in his venture. (Butch Farabee,
RAD/WASO).

STAFF STATUS

Kreis on lieu day.

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: FTS 343-4874/6039 or 202-343-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 343-5977 or 202-343-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER