RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Wednesday, June 16, 1993

Broadcast: By 0830 ET

INCIDENTS

93-361 - North Cascades (Washington) - Rescue

On Sunday, June 13th, D.M., 41, of Lake Stevens, Washington, was
backcountry skiing down a steep slope below Cascade Pass when he lost
control, tumbled into a tree, and fractured a femur.  His partner made him
comfortable and went for help.  A ranger and local paramedic flew in by
helicopter; they applied a traction splint to stabilize his femur and MAST
trousers for his deteriorating vital signs.  A Whidbey Naval Air Station
helicopter lowered a litter and winched D.M. off the slope.  He was
taken to a local hospital, where he's reported to be in stable condition. 
[David Spirtes, CR, NOCA, 6/15]

93-362 - Padre Island (Texas) - Drug Seizure

On June 7th and again on June 10th, three more kilos of pure cocaine washed
ashore in the park and were recovered by park rangers.  That makes nine
kilos recovered over the past two weeks and over 56 kilos over the past
month.  Although rangers have not been able to identify the source of
shipments, they expect more to appear based on intelligence that the
Columbian cartels are now concentrating their smuggling efforts along the
Texas coast.  [Dan Wirth, PAIS, 6/15]

93-363 - Point Reyes (California) - Structural Fire; Probable Arson

A park restroom facility at South Beach was totally destroyed by fire early
on the morning of June 12th.  The loss was discovered after rangers received
reports of heavy smoke in the area; by the time they arrived on scene, the
building had been completely consumed.  The loss has been estimated at
$125,000.  Rangers are conducting an arson investigation and are being
assisted by local law enforcement and fire agencies.  They'll be working
with investigators from the California fire marshall's office, arson and
bomb unit, and forensic laboratories in an effort to determine the cause of
the fire and potential suspects.  [Cliff Spencer, PORE, 6/15]

93-364 - Yosemite (California) - Marijuana Cultivation Conviction

On May 7th, M.C. and R.O. were sentenced in federal court
following their conviction for possession and cultivation of marijuana in
the park.  Mather District rangers arrested the pair last October following
discovery of their 250-plant marijuana patch.  Rangers Sullivan and
Jablonski assisted the U.S. attorney's office during a suppression and
sentencing hearing on Miranda issues pertaining to the arrest, voluntary
confessions, and evidentiary questions pertaining to cultivation practices
and methods.  M.C. received a mandatory sentence of five years
incarceration under federal sentencing guidelines.  R.O. received a sentence
of two years in prison.  Neither had a previous record for any drug-related
offense at the time of their arrests; both pled guilty to the charges
without a trial.  [Greg Jablonski, YOSE, 6/11]

93-365 - Yosemite (California) - Drug Arrest

Criminal investigators Fred Elchlepp and Jeff Sullivan arrested R.D.L.
R.D.L. at his residence at the Yosemite Lodge on the evening of June 12th
on charges of possession of marijuana for sale.  At the time of his arrest,
R.D.L. had in his possession ten plastic bags of marijuana weighing 102
grams.  [Fred Elchlepp, YOSE, 6/14]

93-366 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Rescue

On June 9th, dispatch received a report from a helicopter tour operator
stating that a commercial river raft was stranded in the middle of the river
below Crystal Rapids.  Rangers responded by park helicopter and found 17
uninjured persons aboard a Diamond River Adventures motor rig stranded
against large boulders in an area known as "The Island".  A short haul
operation was immediately begun to extract the passengers while a second
helicopter shuttled additional rescue personnel to the scene.  All 17 people
were successfully removed from the raft and bivouacked nearby for the night
with a second Diamond River Adventures raft.  Rangers learned that the
operator of the first raft had struck its outboard engine against a
submerged rock while negotiating the rapids and had drifted into the rocks. 
Rescue personnel returned to the scene the following morning and began a
salvage operation to remove the raft.  Due to the distance and river flow, a
shore-based operation was dropped in favor of using come-alongs on the raft
itself.  Rangers Jim Traub and Dave Desrosier and the trip leader reached
the raft by boogie board and inflatable kayak.  One end of the raft was
winched toward its other tend, allowing it to float free.  River flow at the
time of the incident was slightly below 10,000 cfs.  [Ken Phillips, GRCA,
6/15]

93-367 - Big South Fork (Kentucky/Tennessee) - Rescue

P.Y., 18, of Oneida, Tennessee, was swinging from a rope tied to a
tree on the Clear Fork River on the afternoon of June 6th when she fell to
the river bank and slid into the water.  P.Y. sustained a severe neck
injury and stopped breathing.  Visitors at the scene began resuscitation;
EMS units responded and evacuated P.Y. to a local hospital.  She was later
flown by helicopter to the University of Tennessee's trauma center, where
she is in very critical condition and on life support.  [CRO, BISO, 6/11]

93-368 - Yosemite (California) - Rescue

Rangers responded to a report of cries for help coming from climbers on the
Nose route on El Capitan on the afternoon of May 31st.  Rain had been
falling steadily in the park all day; above the 8,600-foot level, snow fell. 
It was determined that two male climbers at Camp 5 - P.B. and
T.F. - were uninjured but required assistance because they were
ill-prepared for the weather.  The park contract helicopter flew rescue
teams and equipment to the summit of El Capitan to fix ropes from that point
800 feet down to the climbers.  A search and rescue volunteer rappelled down
from the top of the Nose route to the two climbers.  P.B. and T.F.
declined the offer of dry gear, said that they were strong enough to ascend,
and were able to warm up after a few minutes of jumaring up the fixed line. 
They arrived at the top around 11 p.m. and spent the night there with the
rescue team.  All were flown off El Capitan the next morning.  Debriefing
revealed that a reliance on waterproof/breathable fabric jackets, pants and
bivy sacks (which leaked) and down sleeping bags (which lost their
insulation when wet) were contributing factors in this incident.  The two
men did not carry waterproof tarps, which could have kept them dry. 
Although P.B. and T.F. are both experienced climbers, they were new
to big wall climbing.  Both are employed as leaders for an outdoor
recreation company and have many years' experience.  Because of the risk and
cost involved in this rescue, the case has been referred to the park legal
specialist for prosecutorial review.  [Greg Magruder, YOSE, 6/15]

93-369 - Joshua Tree (California) - Disorderly Arrests

On May 28th, a ranger responded to Jumbo Rocks campground to investigate a
disturbance complaint.  Upon arrival, the ranger was contacted by several
campers who were leaving the campground due to the disturbance.  The ranger
found four highly-intoxicated Marines with a full keg of beer screaming
profanities.  The foursome were told to leave the park after a designated
driver was located.  None were cited or arrested as a sign of good faith
toward the neighboring Marine base.  The next day, the four men returned to
the campground and proceeded to harass and terrorize campers there.  Two
rangers contacted them after complaints were filed at the entrance station
and visitor center, and all four were issued citations for disorderly
conduct (two counts) and minor possession of alcohol.  One of the four,
E.R., was also cited for interfering with agency functions when he
refused to produce identification or cooperate with rangers.  When the
defendants failed to appear at magistrate's court on June 7th, warrants were
issued for their arrest.  Three were arrested and tried the next day.  Each
was fined $600.  E.R. was not present at the trial on June 8th, though, as he
was AWOL from the Marine base.  He was apprehended on June 10th, fined a
total of $850 by the magistrate, then turned over to Marine Corps
authorities after the trial.  Disciplinary action from the Marine Corps is
expected for three of the suspects; E.R. will likely be court-martialed. 
[CRO, JOTR, 6/14]

93-370 - Chiricahua (Arizona) - Poaching

Ranger Chris Scott came upon three men in the park visitor center purchasing
checklists of reptiles and amphibians found in the park, discussing native
reptiles, and boasting of photographing a protected native species of
rattlesnake on nearby Forest Service lands.  A description of their vehicle
was broadcast.  Chief ranger Dean Clark and ranger Ken Papke subsequently
located the trio at Massai Point and made contact with them based on the
suspicion that they may have been engaged in reptile poaching in the park. 
A consent search led to the discovery of three dead snakes - two species of
coachwhip and one patchnose - that the trio had collected.  Although the men
said that the snakes were roadkills and had been collected outside the park,
investigation revealed that none had any signs of trauma (especially the
kind normally associated with being struck by automobiles) and that the men
were in possession of snake capture sticks, holding bags, ice chests, and
jars for preserving specimens.  All three were cited for possession of
wildlife within the park.  Further information on the trio can be obtained
from the chief ranger.  [Dean Clark, CR, CHIR, 6/15]

FIRE ACTIVITY

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level II

2) FIRE SUMMARY

State  Agency     Area            Fire              6/15     6/16    Status

 AK    State   Tanana Zone       332248            7,148    15,000   NEC

 WA    FWS     Columbia        * Highway 24            -    15,000+  CND

 AZ    State   Pima County     * Markham               -     1,000   NEC
                               * Piety Complex         -       600   CN 6/16
               -               * Somewhere             -       160   CND

 FL    FWS     Okefenokee        Gnat Catcher - T1 5,711     5,711   CN 6/18
       USFS    Apalachicola      New River           150       150   NEC

NOTES:

- Fires - Asterisk indicates newly reported fire (on this report). T1 and T2
  indicate assigned Type I and Type II Teams.
- Status - The following abbreviations are employed:

  NR - No report received      MS - Modified suppression strategy
  CL - Controlled              MN - Being monitored
  CS - Confinement strategy    NEC - No estimate of containment
  CND - Contained              CN (date) - Expected date of containment

3) PARK FIRE REPORTS - The following are highlights from the NPS National
Wildland Fire Summary for June 16th:

* Pinnacles - A car fire initiated a wildfire in grass and chaparral about
  three miles outside the park's west boundary on June 10th.  By June 12th,
  over 1300 acres had burned, including about 455 inside the park's
  southwest corner.  CDF made the initial attack and assumed responsibility
  for suppression.  Sequoia's Arrowhead Hotshot crew was in Pinnacles
  assisting with a prescribed fire and was dispatched to the fire. 
  Containment was completed on June 12th and the fire was declared out the
  next day.  Ranger Dan Jaramillo served as the park's resource advisor.

4) ANALYSIS - Significant initial attack activity is occurring in many areas
in the Southwest.  Initial attack operations are minimal in Alaska and
moderate in the South.

5) PROGNOSIS - A red flag watch has been issued in Arizona for winds and dry
lightning.  Fire activity should continue in the Southwest due to forecasted
weather.  Activity should remain minimal in Alaska and moderate in southern
Georgia and Florida, but may increase in southern California due to hot, dry
weather and north winds.

[NIFCC Intelligence Section, 0530, 6/16]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming
weeks 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 Legislation at 202-208-3636.

June 16

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests [Bumpers]: Hearing on S.294,
to authorize the Secretary of Interior to formulate a program
for the research, interpretation and preservation of various
aspects of colonial New Mexico history; S.310, to amend title V
of PL 96-550, designating Chaco Culture archeological protection
sites; S.836 and S.983, to amend the National Trails System Act
to provide for a study of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro;
H.R. 698 and S.1049, to protect Lechuguilla Cave and other
resources and values in and adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns; and
other bills.  

June 16

House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Subcommittee on Environment
and Natural Resources [Studds]: Hearing on habitat conservation
plans developed pursuant to the Endangered Species Act. 

June 17

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests [Bumpers]: Hearing S. 742, to
establish an advisory commission for Kalo-Honokohau; S.752, to
modify the boundary of Hot Springs; S. 971, to increase the
authorizations for War in the Pacific and American Memorial; and
other bills. POSTPONED: Hearing on S. 472, to improve the
administration and management of public lands, national forests,
units of the National Park System and related areas by improving
the availability of adequate, appropriate, affordable and cost-
effective housing for employees needed to effectively manage the
public lands. Witness: Associate Director for Planning and
Development Denis Galvin. 

June 22

House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands [Vento]: Hearing on H.R. 1441, to authorize the
Secretary to enter into a cooperative agreement with the William
O. Douglas Outdoor Class room; H.R. 1584, to provide for the
further conservation of certain unique and nationally
significant river segments in the state of West Virginia; H.R.
1739, to provide for a feasibility study of including Revere
Beach in the NPS; H.R. 1892, to amend the National Trails System
Act to designate the Great Western Trail for potential addition
to the National Trails System; and H.R. 1861, to extend
indefinitely the authority of the Secretary to collect a
commercial operation fee at Delaware Water Gap. 

June 24

Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs [Inouye]: Hearing on
American Indian Religious Freedom Act.  Witness: Associate
Director for Cultural Resources Jerry Rogers. 

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public
Lands, National Parks and Forests [Bumpers]: Oversight hearing
concessions reform. 

June 29

Senate Governmental Affairs Committee [Glenn]: RESCHEDULED:
Hearing on the failure of the federal government to provide
adequate budgeting for its own environmental programs, focusing
on the Department of Interior. 

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry at aircraft overflight
contract meeting (6/14-6/15); Dickerhoof on AL (6/18).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Spruill on Death Valley aircraft study (6/15-
6/18); Gale at incident management training exercise development meeting and
on AL (6/16-6/26).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax:   Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail:   Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation
SkyPager:  Emergencies ONLY (numeric message) - 1-800-759-7243, PIN 2404843 
SkyTalk:   Emergencies ONLY (voice message) - 1-800-759-8255, PIN 2404843