RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Friday, November 6, 1992

Release:   0830 EDT

INCIDENTS

92-582 - Hawaii Volcanoes (Hawaii) - Follow-up on Lava Flow

The lava flow from the vent on the west side of Pu'o 'O'o continues to pour
over the escarpment in the park's coastal district three miles west of
Kamoamoa.  There are several actively moving fingers of lava, the lowest of
which is at the 650-foot elevation; one is within a half mile of the Chain
of Craters Road below Pali Uli.  The road has been closed at Lae Apuki due
to fire operations, the danger of lava ignited fire, and concerns that
visitors might become disoriented by heavy smoke or entrapped by fast moving
brush fires.  Two dozen firefighters have been deployed in an attempt to
establish a blackline to prevent the spread of wildfire into native coastal
vegetation.  They are being supported by three helicopters that are ferrying
crews and dropping water from buckets.  [Mardie Lane, PIO, HAVO, 11/4]

92-587 - War in the Pacific (Guam) - Typhoon Elsie

The park was closed on November 2nd in anticipation of Typhoon Elsie, which
forecasters said would pass near the island of Guam around midday on the
3rd.  All employees were to be placed on administrative leave until after
the storm.  At the time of the report, the storm had sustained winds of 120
mph and gusts up to 150 mph, and forecasters believed winds would be over
100 mph by the time the eye passed near the southern tip of the island. 
Further reports will follow as information becomes available.  [Herb Gercke,
RAD/WRO, 11/3]

92-588 - Rocky Mountain (Colorado) - Search in Progress

At 5 p.m. on November 1st, rangers were notified that climbers B.F.
and T.M. were overdue from a climb in the Upper Odessa Gorge area. 
The two were last seen scrambling at the 11,500-foot level about four hours
earlier.  Due to forecasts calling for the onset of blizzard conditions in
the area, two rangers hiked into the party's campsite and spent the night at
that location.  Another 14 rangers and SAR team members snowshoed into the
area in near whiteout conditions the following morning.  The teams worked
all day between the 11,000-foot and 12,000-foot levels in near blizzard
conditions and thigh deep "sugar" snow before retreating for the evening -
an effort the park's chief ranger characterized as "a true test of physical
stamina."  No evidence of the two climbers was found, but searchers did come
upon avalanche debris in the area.  Forty searchers and two dogs from a
total of eight different SAR organizations resumed efforts the following
morning.  Poor weather and high avalanche conditions hampered the search and
prevented air operations.  At about 1 p.m., a searcher who was belayed down
to a rock ledge near the top of the chute in which B.F. and T.M. were
believed to have been climbing found the climbers' ice axes and two packs
neatly laid out on the ledge.  Avalanche debris from a broken cornice on the
ridge line above was found around the site.  Due to severe weather
conditions, avalanche danger and the probability that the pair were swept
away in an avalanche, the search effort was scaled down the following day.
Air and probe searches will be begun as soon as weather and snow conditions
moderate.  [Joe Evans, CR, ROMO, 11/4]

92-589 - Zion (Utah) - Rescue

During the evening of November 1st, park visitors notified rangers that they
had heard shouts for help from a pair of climbers stranded near The
Watchman, a prominent park landmark.  A flashing light was spotted in the
area about 500 feet from the canyon floor shortly thereafter and a hasty
team was dispatched to establish voice contact.  A two-man technical rescue
team was helicoptered into the area and dropped off above the stranded party
the next day.  They located a fourth class route that brought them close to
the party, then rappelled to their location.  The climbers were slightly
hypothermic, dehydrated and hungry (neither had eaten in three days), but
otherwise in good condition.  The rangers successfully belayed the pair to a
landing zone.  All parties were then flown off the mountain.  [Dave
Buccello, Acting CR, ZION, 11/3]

                     [More pending reports on Monday]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Hurd at IFCC meeting (11/4-11/6); Broyles
teaching at RX90 course (10/26-11/6); Norum at NAGFDR national working team
meeting (11/2-11/6); Mattingly at fire manager's meeting (11/2-11/4); Gale
on annual leave (11/1-11/6).

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

cc:Mail     Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation