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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Monday, June 12, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Denali NP&P Search Continues Two Missing Climbers The aerial search for the two climbers missing on Mount Foraker have been thwarted by bad weather for the last several days (click on “More Information” below for the original report). The NPS contract high-altitude Lama helicopter and other searchers and equipment are on standby until conditions improve. The weather forecast is for continued cloudy conditions for the next few days. A search of the summit area of Mount Foraker, where tracks of the climbers were discovered last week, will resume as soon as weather allows. The two climbers - a 27-year-old Canadian woman and a 36-year-old American woman from Colorado - were last seen on May 14th at the base of the Infinite Spur route on Mount Foraker. They were reported to be carrying food and fuel for 10 to 14 days. They are both highly skilled professional climbers, with years of experience in the Alaska Range. [Kris Fister, Public Affairs Officer] HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewincidentsarticle&type=Incidents&id=2607" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewincidentsarticle&type=Incidents&id=2607 Yukon-Charley Rivers NP Burglary Investigation Culminates in Three Arrests On May 25th, Yukon-Charley rangers received a report of a burglary from a private residence along the Yukon River near the park's boundary. The home and workshop had been forcibly entered and ransacked, and weapons, ammunition, food, equipment and supplies had been taken from the property. Rangers patrolling in the area at the time of the report stopped to check on the welfare of the homeowner and observed the damage to the property and some evidence left at the scene. The owner reported the incident to the Alaska State Troopers in Tok, who have jurisdiction over the private lands in and around the park. Utilizing information provided by local Eagle residents and patrol observations from park staff, the park was able to provide information on suspects to the troopers. The three suspects had reportedly sold their vehicle in Eagle prior to launching their canoes soon after the break-up of the Yukon River. They capsized their canoes and lost two rifles and most of their supplies during their attempt. On May 12th, they launched a donated flat-bottom boat without a motor and with minimal equipment and supplies. Around the time of the burglary, the trio had been seen near a camp within a few miles of the property. Rangers later saw their boat near a cabin on private property within park boundaries. State troopers responded and asked rangers to assist under the terms of an MOA between the agencies. On May 26th, two troopers boated to the suspects' location, about 25 miles downriver from Eagle. They were joined by three rangers from Yukon-Charley Rivers and two ranger/pilots from Wrangell-St. Elias in two boats and an airplane. Photos were first taken of the cabin and environs from the air early in the day. Troopers and rangers then contacted two men near the shoreline. A handgun was removed from one of the men. Officers approached the cabin, located about 200 feet from the shoreline and concealed by dense brush. They found the third man behind the cabin. A loaded SKS rifle equipped with a scope was found positioned at the rear of the cabin and was seized. Stolen property was found in plain view in the cabin and all three were arrested - a 44-year-old man from Texas, a 27-year-old man from Montana, and an 18-year-old man from Alaska. Seven loaded rifles and shotguns and three loaded handguns were seized at the scene. Other stolen property from three properties along the Yukon was recovered. Several wildlife violations are also being investigated. The three men were indicted on Thursday, June 1st, on counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, and third-degree criminal mischief. Investigations continue on charges of taking game out of season, wanton waste and unlawfully possessing and transporting game. [Maura Longden and Dave Mills]
Young Boy Burned Near Old Faithful A six-year-old boy from Utah was burned on the evening of Saturday, June 10th, after falling into water from a recently erupted geyser in Yellowstone National Park. The boy, his parents, and two older siblings had entered the park earlier in the day, pitched camp at Madison Campground, then traveled to the Old Faithful area. The family had just watched an eruption of Grand Geyser around 6:00 p.m. The boy was playing and walking along on the wet boardwalk when he slipped and fell into hot water runoff from nearby West Triplet Geyser, which had also recently erupted. He was pulled from the water after suffering burns to his arms and legs. A park ranger was nearby and immediately summoned Old Faithful rangers, who responded to the scene with an ambulance and paramedic. The boy was taken to the Old Faithful Clinic, where his condition was stabilized. He was then transported by ambulance to the West Yellowstone, Montana, airport and flown by air ambulance to the burn center at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. His current condition is unavailable. The boy is the first person to receive severe thermal burns this summer in the park. [Public Affairs] Prince William FP Successful Intervention in Attempted Suicide On the afternoon of June 5th, rangers were notified by Prince William County PD of an armed woman in the area who was considered to be a suicide risk. She'd last been seen an hour earlier in Quanitco National Cemetery, which is adjacent to the park. Shortly thereafter, rangers found her vehicle in a parking lot off Scenic Drive and closed the road. While the woman was talking on a cell phone to a county PD negotiator, rangers and officers were able to move in and safely take her into custody. The woman was found to be despondent over her long-term chemical dependence. She had in her possession a .38 revolver that she'd purchased earlier in the day. [Norman W. Nelson, Jr., Chief Ranger] OTHER NEWS Other news of interest from today's edition of InsideNPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/): Report from SAHI on the successful recovery of Teddy Roosevelt's pistol, stolen 16 years ago: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4530" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4530 Report issued on promoting healthful activities in the parks: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4537" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=4537 * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |