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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Monday, February 28, 2011 INCIDENTS Grand Teton NP Backcountry Skier Injured In Slab Avalanche In Granite Canyon Grand Teton National Park rangers enlisted the help of a Teton County Search and Rescue helicopter to evacuate an injured backcountry skier who was caught in an avalanche in the park on Thursday afternoon. M.G., 41, of Teton Village, Wyoming, triggered a soft slab avalanche while skiing with a friend in the Northwest Passage area of Granite Canyon. A 60-foot-wide and two-and-half-foot-deep mass of snow carried M.G. over 50 feet downslope before he collided with a tree and came to a stop. While the force of the shifting snow injured M.G.'s leg, he was not buried. M.G. was wearing a helmet which likely protected him from other injuries. M.G. and his partner were not able to make a cell phone call from their location in the canyon, so they sidestepped from the Northwest Passage down through Endless Couloir. An off duty ski patroller from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort encountered the two and ultimately made a call for help after getting cell reception near the mouth of the canyon. Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received notice of the situation at 3 p.m. and rangers began a rescue effort that involved the assistance of the Teton County helicopter. The pilot and crew were able to quickly respond and locate the two backcountry skiers near an area where the aircraft could conveniently land. Teton County rescue personnel assisted M.G. and his partner to the waiting ship and then flew them to the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, landing at 4 p.m. An ambulance then transported M.G. to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming. [Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Officer] OTHER NEWS The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/): Visitor and Resource Protection - The Associate Director of Visitor and Resource Protection has issued a memorandum entitled “Mourning Band Authorization” that provides guidance on wearing the band in memory of Ranger Julie Weir, who was killed in an accident last Thursday. The text is provided. Chief Information Officer - NPS libraries are invited to submit a survey form with profile information to the Library of Congress Federal Libraries and Information Centers Committee for inclusion in the upcoming new edition of the Federal Libraries Directory. Natural Resource Program Center - Proposals for fall and winter Geoscientists-in-the-Parks positions are due April 1st. Photo. Shenandoah NP - The Smith Run Fire has burned about 1700 acres in the park's north district and is now about 80% contained. Alaska Region - Jean Gamache, an experienced federal tribal programs manager, has been selected to serve as the National Park Service's Alaska regional native liaison. Photo. * * * * Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of Communications and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). --- ### --- |