NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, March 31, 2014

INCIDENTS

Zion NP

Noted Climber Killed In BASE Jump

On the morning of March 23rd, S.L., a well-known and accomplished climber and BASE jumper, was reported missing by his wife after failing to return home to California from a trip to the park.

Investigators soon discovered that S.L. had planned to BASE jump from the top of West Temple in a wing suit on the evening of March 13th, intending to fly the notch between West Temple and the Three Marys, which are east of West Temple.

Rangers working with the Grand Canyon helicopter located S.L.'s remains on the north side of the Three Marys approximately 300 feet below the summit on the afternoon of March 23rd. A recovery was not attempted due to the strong crosswinds mixing near the ridgeline. Based on favorable weather forecasts, rangers instead planned a recovery effort for March 25th utilizing Grand Canyon's helicopter.

Two rangers were short-hauled to top of the Three Marys and rappelled to S.L.'s location for the accident investigation. S.L.'s remains were then long-lined from the scene and the rangers were short-hauled from the summit.

S.L. held the speed record for climbing the nose of El Capitan in Yosemite and interest in the climbing community was high. Several of S.L.'s friends independently climbed Gentleman's Agreement, a 5.13b, 900-foot climb up the Three Marys on March 24th and fixed lines to the summit. Four of S.L.'s friends with climbing and NPS rescue experience joined rangers to form a raising team on March 25th in case the helicopter operation was not possible.

Although BASE jumping is not permitted in the park, this was the second such fatality to occur in Zion within the last six weeks. The first occurred at Mount Kinesava and was HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=6896" reported in the February 24th edition of this publication. A third fatal BASE jump this winter occurred at Grand Canyon and was HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=6886" reported in the February 16th edition.

[Therese Picard, Canyon District Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's webpage editions of InsideNPS (available to NPS employees only) and the Morning Report (available to all readers):

Golden Gate NRA - The NPS and National Geographic Society joined forces this past weekend to host a 24-hour BioDiscovery species inventory and two-day Biodiversity Festival in parks in the San Francisco Bay Area. More than 6,000 people, including 2,700 school children, 320 scientists, and 55 exhibitors, participated in the event.

Saguaro NP - As part of the George Wright Society's Park Break program, eight graduate students came to the park in early March for an intensive one-week field study of tinajas, small bedrock springs and pools that are essential to the survival of several species.

Denver Service Center - Denver Service Center recently hosted a sustainable transportation workshop as part of an effort to develop a sustainable transportation tool to use throughout the National Park System.

Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings, newly introduced bills, and the status of legislation of interest to the National Park Service. This report covers activities in Congress for the week ending March 28th.

Northeast Region - Superintendent Ed Clark has been recognized by the Civil War Trust for his leadership in the support of park preservation, particularly in the protection of Civil War battlefields.

Sleeping Bear Dunes NL - George Henderson, a heavy equipment operator at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, will retire on April 3rd after 35 years of service with the National Park Service - all 35 at Sleeping Bear Dunes.

To see the full text of these stories, readers should go to one or the other of the following sites:

NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees - HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/

The Morning Report is produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov).

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