NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, May 28, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-223 - Denali NP (AK) - Follow-up on Search for Missing Rescuer

Three days of exhaustive ground and air searches have yielded no signs of
volunteer climbing ranger Mike Vanderbeek, 33, of Talkeetna, who fell during
the search for climber Daniel Raworth last Sunday.  Rescuers camped in snow
caves at the 16,200-foot level on Mount McKinley received a short break in
the weather on Tuesday night and were able to search the area where
Vanderbeek was last seen for seven hours that evening and early Wednesday
morning.  Ranger Billy Schott and volunteer climbers Dave Horne, Ryan
Hokanson, Kirby Spangler, Dave Langrish, and John Elwell set fixed lines in
severe weather conditions; they were forced temporarily into snow caves by
winds gusting over 60 mph, but went back out despite the terrible weather to
search for Vanderbeek.  They were able to locate some climbing equipment but
were not able to find him.  The park's Lama helicopter made three passes over
the area, but did not see any signs of Vanderbeek.  Active ground search has
been suspended.  Air searches will continue as the weather permits.  Extended
weather forecasts for the Alaska Range call for six to twelve inches of new
snow with winds continuing and gusting over 40 mph.  Twenty NPS personnel,
eleven volunteers and seven emergency hires participated in the search for
Vanderbeek.  Air crews flew a total of  18 hours, providing weather and
communications information to rangers and searching the area.  "It is
incredibly difficult for all involved any time there is a tragedy on the
mountain," said superintendent Steve Martin. "This incident is especially
painful because it is one of our own.  Our hearts go out to Mike's family and
friends; from the amount of calls we have received so far, it is obvious how
widely respected and loved he was."  Arrangements for a local memorial
service are being discussed with family, friends and members of the local
community.  Weather conditions on the mountain have been severe all month;
winds have reached hurricane force and temperatures have dipped to 60 degrees
below zero.  This is the first time since records have been kept that no one
has reached the summit in May.  This is the peak of the climbing season on
McKinley, and there are over 465 climbers stacked up on the mountain at
present - all waiting to make the ascent.  [Jane Tranel/Kris Fister, PIOs,
and Tom Habecker, Acting CR, DENA, 5/27]

98-224 - Minute Man NHP (MA) - Follow-up on Aircraft Crash

The victims of Saturday's crash have been identified as T.L., 36,
and his son, Christopher, five, both of Parkersburg, West Virginia.  The
aircraft went down in the park at 3:45 p.m. and was located by helicopter
about 45 minutes later.  The cause of the crash has yet to be determined and
is being investigated by the FAA.  [Flo Smith, PR, MIMA, 5/27]

98-226 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Search in Progress

Search and rescue teams are attempting to locate 28-year-old D.M. of
San Francisco, who has been missing since Monday, May 25th.  D.M. began a
solo, 17-mile round-trip hike to Half Dome at 5:30 a.m. that morning and
intended to return by 2 p.m.  He was dressed only in cotton pants, a
sweatshirt and running shoes and was carrying a fanny pack.  Two helicopters,
six dog teams and 22 ground teams are involved in the search, which is
centered on Little Yosemite Valley.  A California Highway Patrol helicopter
with infra-red equipment conducted an extensive aerial search yesterday
morning, but failed to turn up any new leads.  Search efforts are to be
stepped up this morning.  The park is experiencing unusually cool weather. 
Light snow fell as low as 4,000 feet on Monday, and lows in the 20s are
forecast above 5,000 feet.  Several agencies are assisting in the search. 
[Kendell Thompson, PIO, YOSE, 5/27]

98-227 - Denali NP (AK) - Rescue

On the afternoon of May 26th, Australian climber J.S., 29, fell nearly
300 feet down a slope known as "Rescue Gully," then fell another 50 feet into
a crevasse and landed on a ledge.  Luck was with him, as the crevasse was
extremely deep and he fell on the only ledge visible.  J.S. was extricated
by NPS crews led by ranger Daryl Miller, who is based at the ranger station
at 14,200 feet, then flown out to a hospital in Anchorage.  He is in stable
condition with rib injuries and a pneumothorax.  [Tom Habecker, Acting CR,
DENA, 5/27]

98-228 - Denali NP (AK) - Aircraft Crash

A concessioner-operated Cessna 185 air taxi made a hard landing on the upper
portion of the packed airstrip at the Kahiltna Glacier base camp on Mt.
McKinley on May 16th.  The plane, which was carrying two climbers, plowed
through deep snow and came to rest 200 feet above the airstrip.  No injuries
were reported.  Ranger Eric Martin, who was in the base camp at the time,
assisted in digging out the plane and dealing with an estimated 35-gallon
fuel spill.  Damage to the plane was moderate, and it was airlifted out by
helicopter on May 21st.  [Tom Habecker, Acting CR, DENA, 5/23]

98-229 - Lake Roosevelt NRA (WAS) - Assault on Employee

A park employee was returning to his office in a government vehicle on the
evening of May 21st when a motorcycle with two men on it began to follow him. 
The employee looked through his rear view mirror and saw that the passenger
was aiming a rifle at him.  He took evasive action and pulled off the road;
the motorcycle continued on.  Rangers and state police are investigating. 
[Marty Huseman, ACR, LARO, 5/27]

98-230 - Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - Rescue

On May 24th, K.H., a member of the Shasta County SAR team, was
participating in a practical exercise near Crags Lake when she experienced a
severe asthma attack.  Rangers responded, provided basic life support, and
organized the evacuation.  Due to weather conditions, K.H. was carried from
Chaos Crags to the park road by rangers and SAR team members.  She was then
taken to a hospital in Redding, where she was treated and released.  [CRO,
LAVO, 5/27]

                   [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                     Tue      Wed    %   Est
State      Unit             Fire/Incident     IMT    5/26     5/27  Con  Con

FL   Apalachicola NF        Holiday           T2    1,200    1,875   50  NEC 

Heading Notes

Unit      Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
          or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
          district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
Fire      * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex
IMT       T1 = Type I; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
% Con     Percent of fire contained
Est Con   Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
          containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FOUR DAY TREND)

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Sunday, 5/24         0      6         0       0       11     21        38
Monday, 5/25         0      5         1       0       13     14        33
Tuesday, 5/26        0     12        10       1      386     16       425
Wednesday, 5/27      0     15         1       0      101      5       122

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FOUR DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Sunday, 5/24         8          1           7             0            12 
Monday, 5/25         7         16           6             0            25
Tuesday, 5/26        6          2           8             0            26
Wednesday, 5/27     10         16          11             0           107

CURRENT SITUATION

There was little fire activity yesterday.

Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in units in Texas, New
Mexico, Arizona, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire and Utah.  

NICC has posted two FIRE WEATHER WATCHES - one for winds and low humidity
this afternoon in northwest New Mexico, the other for wind in northern lower
Michigan,

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 5/28]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

Kayak Patrol Opportunity - Grand Canyon is interested in hearing from
commissioned rangers who would be available from June 13th to the 25th to
assist in a self-supported kayak patrol of the Colorado River.  The patrol
will enable participants to observe operations and resource protection
efforts within Grand Canyon.  The park cannot cover salaries, but may be able
to pick up travel costs.  Interested rangers should have experience in class
4/5 whitewater and be able to roll a loaded kayak.  Contact River District DR
Patrick Hattaway at 520-638-7842.

                     *  *  *  *  *

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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