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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Wednesday, June 7, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Denali NP&P Search Underway for Two Climbers on Mt. Foraker Concern for two overdue climbers on the challenging Infinite Spur route on Mt. Foraker prompted the park to begin a search for them on the evening of Thursday, June 1st. These concerns were based on information gathered about the climbers' anticipated time on the route and the supplies they had with them. The NPS high-altitude Lama helicopter was launched for a reconnaissance flight when weather cleared Thursday evening, following several days of heavy snow in the Alaska Range. No signs of the climbers - a 37-year-old Canadian woman and a 36-year-old woman from Colorado - were found during that flight. Flights continued on Friday and Saturday and were also fruitless, though observers did spot a backpack and some its contents at the base of the route. The gear appeared to have fallen from a higher elevation. The backpack was retrieved by a hydraulic ‘grabber' suspended below the Lama. The weather over the mountain cleared on Sunday, allowing aerial searchers to make the first complete survey of the Infinite Spur route since the search began. Although neither climber was seen, searchers found additional gear, including a jacket, stuff sack and a glove near the spot where the backpack had been found and recovered. Based on equipment descriptions provided by one of the climber's friends, it's believed that all of the gear belonged to her. Observers on board the Lama also got a better look at tracks found at the 14,800-foot level of the Infinite Spur and are confident that they belong to the two women. Additional tracks were seen between the 15,500-foot and 15,800-foot elevations on the route. Clear skies and calm winds on Monday allowed personnel in the Lama to thoroughly investigate the area in the vicinity of the summit of Mt. Foraker, the climbing team's planned exit route on Sultana Ridge, and the glaciers north and south of the peak. The tracks spotted on Sunday were confirmed. On Tuesday, the Lama did not fly due to a required rest period for the pilot. Replacing it were two Chinook helicopters from the 52nd Aviation Regiment's high altitude rescue team, based at Fort Wainwright, and an Aerostar from ERA Helicopter Division. Analysis of digital photos taken from the Lama during its Monday flight confirmed tracks at 16,400 feet, so plans were to focus Tuesday's search efforts on the area just below the south summit of Mt. Foraker. Further updates will be posted as they are received. The two missing women are both highly skilled technical climbers with years of experience in the Alaska Range. [Kris Fister and Maureen McLaughlin, Public Affairs Specialists] Grand Teton NP Update on Fatal Boating Accident Additional details have been received about the accident on the Snake River that resulted in the deaths of three visitors on a commercial boating trip. The Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a call from the Grand Teton Lodge Company just before 11 a.m. on June 2nd, reporting that one of their scenic raft trip boats had tipped over in the “Many Moose” area of the Snake River, one-half mile downstream of the historic Bar BC dude ranch. Twelve passengers were spilled out of the raft and into the Snake River as the boat became lodged against a root ball of a live tree that had recently flushed into that section of the river during spring run-off. The 15-passenger raft, carrying twelve people and one boatman, had launched earlier that morning to float a ten-mile stretch of river within the park. Boatmen from four commercial float trip raft companies, who were in the vicinity at the time of the accident, assisted in getting nine passengers out of the water and onto the riverbank. As previously reported, the remaining three people drowned in this accident. Park rangers, a Teton Interagency contract helicopter, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, and Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers also assisted in the search and rescue operation. The section of the Snake River below Bar BC ranch braids into three narrow channels. The center channel, where the accident occurred, takes a slight curve to the right, making it challenging to get a clear downstream view until a boat has fully entered into the channel's flow. A live tree had recently been uprooted and flushed into this channel, where it was temporarily snagged on a submerged gravel bar. The tree was swept away with the river's flow by the following morning. The force of the river current pushed the raft toward the tree, where it bumped into the exposed root ball and became pinned by the current. The swift flowing water then pushed the boat up and into a vertical position, leaving the passenger compartment facing the upstream flow. As the boat tipped onto its side, the passengers fell into the water. The Snake River is a natural, multi-channeled river with woody debris deposits and gravel bars scattered across along the length of its route. Along the 25-mile river corridor from Jackson Lake Dam to the Moose Bridge, there are only four river landings, spaced several miles apart. Much of the river course lies remote from any road access. The river current can be strong enough to push debris and load debris at river bends or gravel bars. The investigation of this boating accident is continuing. It's estimated that there have been 20 fatalities associated with recreation on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park since record keeping began in the 1930s. [Joan Anzelmo and Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Specialists] Yosemite NP Major Slide Closes Highway 140 A massive landslide closed Highway 140 about ten miles west of El Portal last week. The park is working closely with the Forest Service, BLM, Cal Trans, Mariposa County and PG&E on the future of the highway, which will likely remain closed for at least six months. The slide continues to be active and much of the roadbed is no longer there. Park staff are also working with DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, the park's primary concessioner, on issues such as temporary employee housing, alternate work schedules, bus and or van transportation, and other issues facing park employees. Efforts are underway to work with gateway communities to mitigate negative publicity surrounding the road closure and its effects on business in Mariposa during the beginning of the busy summer visitor season. Highway 140 remains open from the park to El Portal. Businesses and accommodations in El Portal and throughout the Mariposa area are open. Two alternative routes from Mariposa to Yosemite Valley are available. Additionally, Highway 120 (west) and Highway 41 (south) are open 24 hours per day. [Scott Gediman, Chief, Media & External Relations] Yellowstone NP Missing Visitor Found After Overnight Search A visitor reported missing on the night of Wednesday, May 31st, was found safe and unhurt the following morning. The 20-year-old man from Washington state was visiting the park with family members. He walked away from his party around 9 p.m. at a trailhead near Fishing Bridge. He was last seen about 9:30 p.m. in the Fishing Bridge RV park. The man was barefoot, was wearing shorts and a lightweight sweater, and had a blanket. Because of heavy bear activity in the area and temperatures forecast to drop below freezing, a search was started immediately. The missing man reappeared early the next morning at the trailhead near Fishing Bridge. He told rangers that, after leaving the Fishing Bridge RV Park, he walked down the Howard Eaton trail along the east bank of the Yellowstone River and spent the night among the bison grazing in the area. He was in good physical condition. A total of thirteen people and two dog teams were involved in the overnight search. [Public Affairs Office] OTHER NEWS Other news of interest from today's edition of InsideNPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/): Safe boating day at LAME Record-breaking year for Kemp's Ridley turtle restoration in PAIS and south Texas Two GS-5/7/9 ranger positions open at GRTE GS-301-7/9 assistant position (detail) open in WASO Natural Resource Stewardship and Science GS-9/11 NRM program manager detail announced at KLGO * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |