RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Monday, April 27, 1992

INCIDENTS

92-136 - Mount Rainier (Washington) - Follow-up on Search and Rescue

The three climbers from New York City who were rescued from Mount Rainier on
the April 22nd were dehydrated but in good condition.  They reported that
they had been unable to find their way down the mountain due to bad weather. 
The three rangers who comprised the initial response team were Rick
Kirschner, Garry Olson and Steve Winslow.  They climbed to Camp Muir
throughout the evening of the 21st, encountering 50 to 60 mph winds and
white-out conditions during their ascent, and arrived in camp at 1:30 a.m.
on the 22nd.  After a few hours' rest, they were transported by helicopter
to the 12,800-foot level, then climbed another few hours before reaching the
missing climbers.  The rangers were assisted by the military and several
state mountain rescue units.  [cc:Mail message from Mark Forbes, RAD/PNRO,
4/23]

92-139 - Haleakala (Hawaii) - Follow-up on Fatal Air Crash 

The aircraft which crashed on Mt. Haleakala was a Scenic Air Tours Twin
Beech BE-18 with nine persons on board.  It disappeared on the afternoon of
April 22nd on a VFR flight from Hilo to Honolulu.  The wreckage was found at
7:00 the following morning at the 9,000-foot level of the mountain and was
within park boundaries.  All nine on board were killed.  An investigation is
being conducted by a team of NTSB and FAA investigators.  Rangers and Maui
County police officers had recovered the nine bodies by early afternoon on
the 23rd; all families have been notified.  Rangers are protecting the scene
of the accident.  [Telefax from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/24]

92-141 - Yosemite (California) - Fuel Spill

A double tractor trailer went off the road on the Chapel straightaway in
Yosemite Valley on April 23rd.  One of the truck's tanks ruptured and
spilled about 75 gallons of diesel fuel.  Most of the spill was cleaned up
with pads by park and concession staff, and a prescribed burn was employed
to remove the remaining residue.  The spill occurred away from the Merced
River, so there was probably no contamination of the river.  [CompuServe
report from RAD/WRO, 10/23]

92-142 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Employee Arrested

On April 11th, a park dispatcher was arrested for the sale of drugs.  She
became the focus of an investigation after information was received that she
was involved in use and sale of illegal drugs.  Lake Mead law enforcement
rangers and local officers were able to gain sufficient evidence to charge
her with use and sale of narcotics.  Information obtained during the
investigation revealed that she was using drugs on duty while performing
dispatch functions.  [Mike Blandford, CI, LAME, via telefax from Carl
Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/24]

92-143 - Zion (Utah) - ARPA Arrests

On April 19th, backcountry ranger Tom Gillette spotted four adults - A.S.,
E.R., R.M. and M.C. - collecting
artifacts from the ground in the vicinity of Kolob Terrace.  A mano and
numerous projectile points and lithics were discovered in a search of the
foursome.  Rangers Greg Smith and Pat Buccello joined Gillette in a search
of their vehicle and found numerous other artifacts which the suspects
admitted having collected from surrounding public lands over the years. 
A.S. and E.R. have lengthy felony criminal histories, including
heroin and marijuana trafficking; M.C. and R.M. have no criminal
histories, but stated that they routinely collect artifacts on public lands
in the Southwest.  Citations were issued and an investigation is continuing
in conjunction with BLM.  Anyone with information on any of the four is
asked to contact Pat Buccello.  [CompuServe message from ZION, 4/24]

92-144 - Death Valley (California) - Drug Seizure

A Special Forces unit working with rangers discovered a bundle of marijuana
near a clandestine airstrip just outside the park boundary on April 19th. 
The bundle, which weighed 1,404 grams and was valued at about $8,000, was
not there when the team passed through the area 48 hours earlier.  There
were fresh tracks on the airstrip and evidence that the plane intended to
return in the near future.  [Chris Ward, CR, DEVA, via telefax from Carl
Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/24]

92-145 - Death Valley (California) - Drug Arrest

On April 17th, R.M., 38, was arrested by rangers for possession of 88
grams of marijuana packaged and ready for sale.  R.M. was also charged with
transportation of a controlled substance across state lines.  The arrest
occurred as a result of a traffic stop and search of the vehicle based on
information supplied by a confidential informant.  R.M., who is from Death
Valley, is currently being held on state felony charges in the Inyo County
jail.  The investigation was initiated by the park and is continuing in
cooperation with the local drug task force.  [Chris Ward, CR, DEVA, via
telefax from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/24]

92-146 - Great Smokies (North Carolina/Tennessee) - Felony Arrests

Just before noon on April 23rd, rangers came upon two vehicles which had
been driven into the park and crashed.  Both were reported stolen.  The two
men who were driving them fled into the woods, and a search for them was
subsequently begun employing dogs and a helicopter.  Both were captured that
evening.  Both men, one of them a juvenile, were turned over to local
authorities.  [Jason Houck, GRSM, via telefax from Marcella Gibson,
RAD/SERO, 4/24]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Gates of the Arctic (Alaska) - Wolf Research

Wolf #321, born in 1986 and radio collared in the park in April, 1987, was
recently taken by a hunter near Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories,
Canada.  The grey male wolf, which was in good condition and weighed 100
pounds at time of capture, dispersed in April or May of 1987.  It was
located by Canadian scientist in April, 1988; accompanied by another grey
wolf, it joined or formed a pack and was tracked by the Canadians until its
death.  The straight-line distance between capture and kill sites was 434
miles; the longest such recorded distance travelled by a wolf in North
America is 450 miles.  Among the 51 marked wolves in the study, the primary
cause of loss from the study area was dispersal, although the population was
subjected to fairly extensive hunting and trapping, primarily by subsistence
users.  [Bruce Dale, Wildlife Biologist, ARO]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Effective this morning, the Branch of Fire and Aviation in WASO and the
Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection are up and running on cc:Mail. 
There addresses are, respectively, WASO Fire and WASO Ranger Activities. 
The addresses will appear each day at the bottom of the Morning Report.  In
the very near future, the Morning Report will be distributed simultaneously
on cc:Mail and on CompuServe.  You will be notified when the cc:Mail
distribution begins; if you're interested in receiving the Morning Report
through that system, contact your cc:Mail post office administrator and
asked to be put on the "Ranger Report" list.  We will continue to employ
both systems until the CompuServe contract ends on September 30, 1992. 
[Bill Halainen, RAD/WASO]

THIS WEEK IN CONGRESS

"This Week in Congress" will appear in Monday morning reports when Congress
is in session.  The following activities will be taking place in Congress
this week on matters pertaining to the National Park Service.  If you would
like further information on any of these hearings or bills, please contact
Dottie in WASO Congressional Liaison at 202-208-5883:

Tuesday

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, National Parks and Public
Lands Subcommittee:

Hearing on HR-3905, to amend the Historic Preservation
Act to authorize appropriations for the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation; HR-1601, to strengthen the preservation of our historic
heritage and resources.

Wednesday

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee:

Mark-up of pending legislation.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Public Lands, National Parks
and Forest Subcommittee:

Hearing on S-21, HR-2929, and S-2393, to provide
for the protection of the public lands in the California desert.

Thursday

House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, National Parks and Public
Lands Subcommittee and California Desert Lands Subcommittee:

Joint oversight hearing on air quality issues affecting national
parks, forests and public lands.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Public Lands, National Parks
and Forest Subcommittee:

Hearing on S-21, HR-2929, and S-2393, to provide for the
protection of the public lands in the California desert.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin at law enforcement
conference, CA (4/27-4/28); Marriott at Operation North Star annual
conference, Seattle, WA (4/27-4/29).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at fire effects working team meeting,
Durham, NC (4/27-5/1);  Gale at ICS review at Assateague Island, MD, and on
annual leave (4/27-4/30).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

SEAdog:     Branch of R&VP - 1/650
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - 1/655