Haleakala |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2025. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Wednesday, October 15, 1986 Location: Kipahula Visitor Center B. Harry reported the total destruction by fire of the recently completed Kipahula Visitor Center. NPS patrol vehicle also stolen and not yet recovered. Incidents occurred overnight and discovered this morning. Nine (9) miles from Visitor Center to nearest Ranger Residence by dirt road. Closest residents are members of Hawaii Sovereignty Group who recently demonstrated. No estimate of loss available at this time. Additional information to follow.
The following information was received from Chris Merillat, Law Enforcement Specialist, Western Regional Office, on Monday, October 20, 1986. According to Merillat, the Kipahula Visitors Center was located in an area of Proprietary Jurisdiction. The incident has been confirmed by the local authorities (Maui Fire Dept.) as Arson. The primary investigating agency is the Maui Police Department. Ranger Steve Shackelton, from Hawaii Volcanoes, has been assigned to investigate the incident for the National Park Service. According to information received, construction of the Kipahula Visitors Center was completed on May 30, 1986, at a cost of $77,500.00. It's estimated that an additional $10,000.00 in furnishings were lost in the building at the time of the fire. The structure itself occupied 950 square feet. There was no alarm system on the building at the time of the fire. The vehicle that was also stolen at the same time is described as a 1981, one ton, 4 wheel drive Chevrolet truck. It's believed that the truck was hot-wired. Keys to that vehicle were found in the shed, adjacent to the Visitor Canter. However, a 223 Remington rifle (property number & serial number unknown at this time) belonging to the Park Service was removed from the same shed. As of this time, neither the truck or the rifle have been recovered. After the fire was extinguished, a safe inside the V.C. was discovered. It had been forced open and approximately $800.00 in cash had been removed. Because of this, burglary is one consideration as a possible motive for the arson. As of this time no one has been arrested in connection with the arson. Prior to the fire, three (3) hippie type individuals were seen in the area. However there is no evidence available to indicate they were responsible for the fire. Several marijuana plots outside the park boundaries were recently destroyed by the local police. Retaliation for the destruction of these plots may also be considered as another motive. Again, there is no evidence available to substantiate these thoughts. Additional information will be provided as the investigation continues.
Although the Harmonic Convergence occurred several weeks ago, it took some time to get reports on the event from the parks which were involved in Southwestern and Western Regions due to travel and other obligations. The attached reports summarize the course of events at Chaco Canyon, Joshua Tree, Haleakala, Golden Gate and Grand Canyon. DATED: 08/26/87 Haleakala N.P. reports no unusual incidents although 13,500 persons participated in the event. One Special Event Team assisted local personnel with crowd control.
Location: House of the Sun Visitor Center On July 28th, rangers at Haleakala arrested 46 year old W.C., near the House of the Sun visitor center, after W.C. pointed a "sawed off" shotgun at several persons and threatened to kill them. W.C. was carrying a Walther PPK auto-loading pistol and a short barreled shotgun at the time of his arrest. Rangers also found a Colt .45 caliber auto-loading pistol on the passenger seat of W.C.'s pickup truck. W.C. is being held without bail and a variety of charges are pending further investigation.
Just before midnight on the 13th, K.F., 35, of Lahaina, Hawaii, joined a fellow camper in an attempt to cross a rain-swollen stream near their campsite at Oheo. Her companion heard her call for help once before she disappeared. A search was begun that night, but was suspended at 2 a.m. The search continued the next day, and K.F.'s body was found by NFS divers on the morning of the 15th. Foul play has been ruled out. (Ann Betus, RAD/WRO).
Between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. on the 28th, a Twin Otter operated by Aloha Island Air crashed on the island of Molokai. There were about 20 people aboard the commuter flight, and all were killed. Among the passengers was N.P., an interpretive ranger at Haleakala, who was married to Peter Thompson, the superintendent of Kalaupapa. N.P. worked in Haleakala during the week, then commuted home to Molokai on the weekends. She had worked at Yosemite, Mount Rainier, Canyon de Chelly and Crater Lake before taking the position at Haleakala. The cause of the crash remains unknown. (Telephone reports from Phil Ward, RAD/WRO).
A tour van crossed the center line of the park road and collided head-on with a tour bus coming from the opposite direction on the 16th. Six passengers from the van and three from the bus were hospitalized at Maui Medical Hospital, with the most serious injury incurred by the van operator. All the injured were Japanese visitors. (Karen Newton, HALE, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 6/18).
L.L., 33, of Georgetown, California, and a friend were collecting opihi, a type of limpet, along the shore near Kipahulu Campground during a period of extremely high winds and surf when L.L.'s comrade was swept into the ocean. L.L. apparently entered the water to assist his friend; although the first man made it back to land, L.L. was not able to regain the shore. The park staff was notified, and three employees entered the water to assist him. They were able to pull him within ten feet of shore when an extremely large set of waves pulled him from their grasp. A fourth employee then entered the water to assist one of the rescuers, K.K., to shore. K.K. was transported to Maui Memorial Hospital by air and ground ambulance, where he was treated for "near drowning." Diving, air and shoreline searches for Len were begun and went on for two days without success. Shore searches are continuing. The area is known for its severe undertow. Alcohol was apparently a factor in the incident. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 7/30]
A tour aircraft with nine people on board en route from Hilo to Oahu disappeared during the night of April 22nd. Around 7:00 a.m. on the 23rd, a media representative contacted the park to check a report that the plane's wreckage had been found within Haleakala's boundaries. Park staff learned that the aircraft's burned wreckage had been spotted from the air by another plane, and that there was no possibility of survivors. The reported location is near the park's boundary at the summit of the crater at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. At the time of the initial report, the park was working to ensure that the FAA had been notified and was sending personnel to the scene to investigate and secure the site. No further information is currently available. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, via telefax from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/23]
The aircraft which crashed on Mt. Haleakala was a Scenic Air Tours Twin Beech BE-18 with nine persons on board. It disappeared on the afternoon of April 22nd on a VFR flight from Hilo to Honolulu. The wreckage was found at 7:00 the following morning at the 9,000-foot level of the mountain and was within park boundaries. All nine on board were killed. An investigation is being conducted by a team of NTSB and FAA investigators. Rangers and Maui County police officers had recovered the nine bodies by early afternoon on the 23rd; all families have been notified. Rangers are protecting the scene of the accident. [Telefax from Carl Christensen, RAD/WRO, 4/24]
Facility manager Mike Gerrity was seriously injured when his bicycle was struck by a car while he was riding on a steep road on the evening of May 10th. Mike received multiple injuries and remains unconscious with two basal skull fractures. He was medevaced to Queen's Hospital on Oahu overnight and underwent surgery yesterday for open fractures to his leg and arm. Mike and his family had just transferred to the park from Curecanti. His wife arrived in Honolulu late yesterday afternoon; his son is already there with a friend from Haleakala. Cards can be sent to Mike Gerrity, Floor C, Room 459, Queen's Medical Center, 1301 Punch Bowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 5/11]
Facility manager Mike Gerrity has not yet regained consciousness, but x-rays and CAT scans strongly indicate a full and complete recovery. Although he remains on a ventilator, nurses report that he took some breaths on his own yesterday afternoon. Doctors will finish closing his arm and leg fractures today. He is also being treated for a lacerated tongue, a suborbital fracture behind his left eye, a fracture at the base of his skull, and a possible fracture on the left side of his face. The family is staying at the hospital. A fund is being set up to help them with expenses; details will follow as soon as it has been established. Cards may be sent to Mike at Room 459, Queen's Medical Center, 1301 Punchbowl, Honolulu, HI 96813. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 5/12]
Facility manager Mike Gerrity, who was seriously injured in a bicycle accident on May 10th, underwent surgery last Thursday and Saturday to close his leg and arm fractures and to reconstruct his facial bones. He responds to simple verbal commands, such as to open his eyes, but doctors do not expect him to fully regain consciousness for another three to four weeks. Mike's wife Ronnie, his son Mike, his brothers Tim and Kevin, and his parents have been in Honolulu attending to his care. The family is residing in quarters at the hospital for now. Cards and letters may be sent to Mike and his family at Queen's Medical Center, Room 459, 1301 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. [Phil Dendel, WRO, 5/18]
Mike Gerrity is still in intensive care at Queen's Medical Center, but is no longer in the trauma unit. Although he remains in a coma, it is not as deep as before, and he began waking up last Friday. He's able to open one eye, has attempted to talk, and appears to recognize his wife, Ronnie. His doctors say that he could be up in two weeks or two months - it's still a waiting game, but the overall situation is looking better. Mike's family flew back to Gunnison, Colorado, on Monday. Ronnie looked into flying Mike to a hospital in that area; it would cost $80,000 to transfer him as a patient, though, so he will stay in Honolulu until he can ride as a regular passenger. Ronnie expects that she can afford to return to Hawaii only once more, and is tentatively planning to return to Honolulu at the end of June. The "Mike Gerrity Aloha Fund" is currently being set up. Details will appear in a future morning report. Curecanti will handle the fund on behalf of both parks. Mike has also been designated as a leave donation recipient. The outpouring of concern from all over the country has touched both the family and the staff at Haleakala. [Karen Ardoin, HALE, 5/26]
Although facility manager Mike Gerrity's condition continues to improve, doctors believe that it will take from six months to a year for him to fully recover from the injuries he received in the bike accident. Recovery will take place in a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, so that he can be close to family members. Mike will head there as soon as he is able to travel. Haleakala and Curecanti have established a non-profit charity donation account for Mike, his wife Ronnie, and their five children. Anyone wishing to make contributions may do so through the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund, Suite 200, 8441 West Bowles, Littleton, CO 80123. Please designate your donation for the Mike Gerrity Recovery Fund on your correspondence, checks and/or money orders. Mike has also been approved as a leave recipient through the leave donor program. See your servicing personnel office if you'd like to contribute. Local fund-raising activities are also being planned by community groups in Gunnison and in Hawaii. Questions may be directed to Arlene Wilson at Curecanti (102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230; 303-641-2337) or the superintendent of Haleakala (P.O. Box 369 Makawao, Maui, HI 96768; 808-572-9306). [HALE, 6/2]
While investigating an unauthorized trail, a park ranger discovered a cache of marijuana cultivation materials and a large number of seedling plants. Surveillance of the area was begun. Two suspects were subsequently observed in the area; they changed from regular to camouflage clothing, then began cultivating the plants. The suspects fled when confronted, but were apprehended by rangers Mike Ing and Don Whyte after being tracked through dense brush. A bicycle, a vehicle, 248 one-foot-tall marijuana seedlings and a large amount of cultivation material were seized. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 7/7]
The investigation which ensued following the marijuana cultivation arrests on July 7th led to the issuance and serving of search warrants on the residence of both suspects. The search lead to the discovery of large-scale indoor and outdoor cultivation of more plants. Another 177, ranging in size from a seedlings to mature plants, were seized along with associated cultivation materials, including fertilizer and high intensity lighting systems. One residence had a false wall in one room; behind it were 100 plants, all on automatic watering and lighting systems. Two pickup trucks full of cultivation materials were seized in the raid. Both suspects are being held pending further legal action. Rangers were assisted in the investigation by Hawaii Volcano criminal investigators, Maui County vice officers and the U.S. attorney's office. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 7/9]
T.P., 49, of Lahaina, Hawaii, suffered back and chest when she jumped from a twenty foot cliff into O'heo stream in the Kipahulu District on July 17th. Rangers and maintenance workers responded and rappelled into the stream gorge to administer first aid until additional support could arrive. A helicopter short-hauled T.P. out of the gorge and flew her to Hana Airport, where she was subsequently picked up and flown to Maui Memorial Hospital. T.P. is reported to be in stable condition; although she has fractures of the lower vertebra and sternum, she suffered no neurological injuries. All of this activity took place during Hillary Clinton's visit to the Hana/Kipahulu area of Maui. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 7/19]
On July 19th, heavy rain in the Kipahulu District caused flooding on all streams, and park rangers accordingly posted all trails as closed due to high water. M.M., 21, and Michael Astorga nonetheless decided to go for a hike in the area. They crossed Palikea Stream where it joins with Pipiwai Stream at about 3 p.m., hiked up the Pipiwai trail, and returned to the crossing about an hour later. The stream had risen considerably in the interim; when they attempted to cross, both were swept downstream and over a 30-foot waterfall just below the crossing. Astorga was able to get out of the stream about a quarter mile below the fall, possible because his backpack provided some flotation, but M.M. disappeared. Rangers were notified of the incident around 4:20 p.m. and immediately began a search for her. The search area stretched from the point last seen down the O'Heo Stream to the ocean and along the shorelines adjacent to the confluence. No sign of M.M. was found. The search resumed the next morning at 6 a.m. Some of M.M.'s personal effects were found, but searchers were unable to find her. Water levels in the O'Heo Stream are still at flood stage. Dive teams will search pool areas as soon as the water recedes and conditions are safe for entering the water. Maui County fire and rescue is assisting in the search effort. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 7/20]
Facility manager Mike Gerrity, who was seriously injured in a bicycle accident on May 10th, is now in a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, and is slowly improving. Although the casts for his several fractures will likely be removed this week, it will likely be some time before he fully recovers his mental abilities. Mike's doctors think that his comprehension level will gradually improve over months or years, but can not yet say how long the recovery will take or how complete it will be. His family and friends hope to take him out of the hospital for an outing at the end of the month. Ronnie Gerrity has quit her job so that she can spend the majority of her time with her husband. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 7/18]
On October 3rd, one of the suspects arrested in July for cultivating marijuana in the park offered information about other marijuana plots on park land in exchange for a plea bargain. Three more plots were found and another 151 plants were seized. All were in the final stages of growth and were from four to five feet tall. The suspect also provided detailed information about cultivation procedures and methods that he and others used in the park. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 10/8]
C.H., 25, of Seal Beach, California, spent most of March 29th with his girlfriend and another acquaintance jumping off cliffs and ledges into pools at Lahaina. The group eventually worked their way along the Ohe'o stream to an area of four pools above Makahiku Falls. C.H.'s friend successfully jumped 40 feet from a rock into one of the pools; C.H. followed, but missed the water, landing about three feet from the pool's edge. Park staff received the report of the incident around 4:15 p.m. The area was inaccessible by trail, so the rescue team had to swim in and hike across rocks to reach the scene, arriving around 4:50 p.m. Assessment indicated that C.H. was in shock with probable internal injuries and multiple fractures of both arms. He was immobilized with a Miller spine board (a combination flotation/immobilization/transport device) and evacuated over water and land to the Makahiku overlook, where a park vehicle was used to get him to the roadway to meet an ambulance. C.H. remained conscious until about a minute before he reached the ambulance. Advanced life support methods were employed en route to the hospital, but C.H. succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead upon arrival at 6:30 p.m. [CRO, HALE, 3/30]
Interpretive ranger Peter Connally died at his home over the weekend, apparently of respiratory arrest. Peter had a history of asthma, and was attempting to use his breathing machine when he passed away. He had been employed at the park for nine years, and had served five years as a park volunteer at Haleakala before being hired as a ranger. His volunteer efforts and first several years of paid employment were focused on goat and pig eradication efforts. Before coming to the park, Peter worked about 12 years as a state conservation officer eradicating goats from the island of Lanai. He was an Army veteran and had served in the Peace Corps. He leaves his wife, Tanee, an eight-year-old daughter, Hana, and his parents and mother-in-law. Cards may be sent to 2765 Iolani, PuKalani, HI 9678. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 5/16]
Search efforts are underway for a 38-year-old Kihei man was reported lost on August 6th. The man had been playing in the pools in the heavily used section of the 'Ohe'o Stream near the ocean; he was last seen walking up the stream bed toward the second pool from the ocean. About 200 people were in the area at the time. A towel identified as his was located nearby, and cash he could have accessed in the group's van was left undisturbed. A report materialized of a man matching his description walking along a road in the area, but a cross check of that description with a video the group had made which showed the victim revealed that the person on the road was not the missing man. The search continued on Sunday, but no sign of him was found. Plans are to have divers check underwater caves in the area. Intelligence gathering is also continuing. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 8/8]
The search for F.P., 38, of Kihei, Hawaii, ended on August 8th when ground searchers and a dive team located his body in a pool in 'Ohe'o Stream. F.P. and a group of friends had been swinging out over the water on overhanging branches and jumping into the pools. Although about 200 visitors were in the vicinity at the time, no one saw him fall. On the morning of the 8th, some campers recalled turning toward a loud cracking sound in time to see a large branch hit the water. This information helped pinpoint the location where divers eventually found F.P. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 8/10]
On November 30th, rangers were called by local police and were first on the scene at a vehicle accident which had occurred on the steep and winding highway up Mt. Haleakala about four miles from the park's entrance. A truck belonging to one of the park's guided horse tour operators which had been transporting seven horses had rolled over when the truck's brakes quit and it failed to negotiate one of the road's many hairpin turns. The driver, who was ejected from the vehicle, displayed symptoms of a pneumothorax and was taken by helicopter to Maui Memorial Hospital. He has since recovered from his injuries and been released from the hospital. One of the seven horses was killed in the accident, and three of the remaining six were injured and had to be put down. [Phil Dendel, HALE, 12/15]
On June 16th, an organization known as "Earthguard, Fiends of Hawaiian Aina" was contacted and told to desist from contacting visitors and soliciting $20 donations in return for T-shirts. Several days later, members of the group returned and insisted that they had a First Amendment right to contact the public and request donations to their "environmental/non-profit" organization. Rangers cited them into court on July 6th. Their initial plea of not guilty was accepted by the court, and a trial date was scheduled for September 7th. On August 30th, they decided to change their plea to guilty. It's believed that the change of mind occurred after the group realized that the preponderance of evidence was against them and that recent court rulings in Washington, D.C., in similar cases would lessen their chances for success. [Phil Dendel, LES, HALE]
On the night of Tuesday, September 5th, D.L. went swimming in the nude with three friends in the pools of Oheo Gulch in the park's Kipahulu District. All members of the group had been drinking heavily prior to entering the stream, which soon became swollen from rain and rapidly rose to flood stage. Three of the four were able to get out of the stream, but D.L. was swept away, carried over three waterfalls (one of them nearly 100 feet high), and carried into the ocean. Friends reported the incident; a joint park-county search of the rugged coastline and river banks was begun during the night, but was called off due to limited visibility. The search was resumed the following morning. Meanwhile, a resident of Koali who lived about three miles from the area called police at 4 a.m. to report that a man wearing only one sandal - D.L. - was sitting in his yard. D.L. told searchers that he blacked out and couldn't remember what had happened to him. He was scratched and bruised, but otherwise free of injury. D.L. had survived the fall through three waterfalls and about five hours in shark-infested waters. He was apparently washed up on the shoreline some distance from the point where the stream flows into the ocean. [Phil Dendel, HALE]
On the afternoon of September 18th, a 28-year-old visitor to the Kipahulu District was crossing a river above a small waterfall when he slipped on the rocks, fell about 15 feet, and landed in the water on a submerged ledge. Although the water buffered his fall, it also added to his distress, as he was unable to swim. He was immobilized on a Miller extrication board (a buoyant splint/litter), evacuated to an ambulance, and taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE]
A GSA-owned Chevy S10 Blazer was stolen from the Kipahulu District on the night of September 22nd. The thief or thieves also broke into two caches and stole a set of diving equipment, tools, and a park radio with spare batteries. Several buildings and a gate were damaged. The vehicle was recovered by Maui police the following evening. Several leads have been developed, including a contact that maintenance worker Dino Brown made with two transient men in the area that afternoon and a report of a sighting of the vehicle in a remote area of the island that night. Ranger Perry Bednorz is investigating. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE]
Three 26-year-old visitors entered a pool in the Palikea Stream on the afternoon of October 20th. Two were immediately caught by the current and dragged underwater. Two of the three made it to the edge of the pool, but were unable to get out of the water; the third apparently was caught under a submerged ledge near the pool outlet and presumably drowned. County and park rescuers employed a 125 foot long line and basket with a swimmer/rescuer inside to extricate the remaining two swimmers. The operation was made particularly difficult by the high canopy, deep gorge, and winds generated by the vigorous water flow. The park's high water warning signs were posted at the time. Divers are still unable to enter the water due to the high flow levels, but a streamside search is being conducted. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE]
Divers found the body of R.S., 26, of Ashland, Oregon, in a pool on the Palikea stream above Makahiku Falls on October 21st, the day after he disappeared after jumping into the pool with two friends. R.S. was found to be wearing Birkenstock-type sandals, which may have contributed to his difficulty in escaping the current. Although R.S.'s two companions were able to swim free of the current to the sides of the pool, they had to be rescued because the pool's steep, sheer sides made it impossible to climb out and egress via the downstream side carried the risk of being swept over the 200-foot-high falls. Warning signs advising of high water flow hazards were posted at the time of the incident, which took place after several days of flash flood watches and warnings in the area. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE]
A specialized custom wheel chair van erupted into flames in the headquarters parking lot on the afternoon of May 21st, momentarily trapping disabled wheelchair occupant J.H., 46, inside the burning van. The rented van was being driven by nurse B.W., with J.H. seated in the rear passenger area. Park staff spotted the fire and alerted the fire brigade, which responded from a garage only 150 feet from the fire. As firefighters converged on the scene, B.W. attempted to remove J.H. from the van through the side doors and down the hydraulic, electrically operated ramp, only to find the fire had already burned through and shorted the operating mechanism. He then returned to the driver's compartment, unstrapped J.H. from his chair, and pulled him to safety just as the fire engulfed the interior of the van. Neither man was harmed. The fire was quickly suppressed. According to the two men, they began smelling gas fumes as they drove up Haleakala Volcano to the park. J.H. said that he had also smelled the odor of burning electrical wires. An investigation is underway, but the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The $35,000 van was a total loss; the loss in personal property, including the chair, came to over $9,000. The park immediately put out a call to the community via several media sources, seeking donations to help replace the specialized motor driven wheel chair. A chair was donated the next day. [Kerry Buck, IC, HALE, 5/27]
J.L., 32, of Alabama died from an 80 foot fall late on the afternoon of Friday, June 26th. Visitors reported seeing him flexing from the top of a waterfall near the ocean when he lost his balance. He appeared to slip, attempted to catch himself on a tree branch, fell to a rock ledge below, then into a pool. J.L. sustained massive head injuries and a broken leg. Park and county rescue personnel found his body submerged 15 feet below the surface of the 40-foot deep pool. His fanny pack was found near the base of another waterfall in Ohe'o Gulch, upstream from where he died. Documents recovered from it revealed that J.L. had been living in Hawaii for some time and that he was apparently homeless. Personal gear found nearby indicated that he'd been camping in a cave along the stream. Among his belongings were a frying pan and small hand tools belonging to the park. Court documents in the pack revealed that he was on probation for a felony burglary charge and that there was an active temporary restraining order against him for making terroristic threats. Efforts are underway to locate a cache which may contain money and/or drugs. Park employees remember seeing the man in the vicinity for the past two to three weeks and recall that he had come into the visitor center and talked about cliff jumping. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 6/29]
On July 31st, C.V., 23, suffered an apparent fractured foot while hiking through rough lava fields in the Paliku area of Haleakala crater. Resource management staff in the area offered to help him, but he declined and said that he'd make his way out by himself. When C.V. found that he couldn't walk the next morning, he contacted the RM crew and demanded that rangers come and get him. Since the suspected fracture was over 24 hours old and since a six-hour horseback ride was deemed imprudent, ranger Kerry Buck made arrangements for him to be transported to a hospital via a contract helicopter and an ambulance. When C.V. arrived at the emergency room and found that medical care was not free, he hobbled out of the hospital without being treated, despite medical advice to the contrary. [Kerry Buck, HALE, 8/17]
F.V.-S., 30, was trying to navigate a 40-foot waterfall while playing in the Palikea Stream on the afternoon of August 16th when he lost his grip on the slippery rocks and fell. According to his two companions, he attempted a last-minute dive into the pool below but did not clear a rock ledge and sustained massive head injuries and multiple arm, leg and neck fractures. Park staff responded along with Maui fire and police units. A technical ascent was required to reach and recover the body. F.V.-S. and his two companions were from Mexico and worked for the Maui Land and Pineapple Company. The company and Mexican consulate were advised and utilized to notify next of kin. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 8/17]
On August 17th, rangers responded to a commercial bicycle tour accident with injuries. Ranger/medics Buck, Zydanowicz and Mayo found 38-year-old park visitor F.M. of Westchester, California, lying in a boulder field a dozen feet off the road. F.M. told them he'd lost control of the bicycle while riding in a commercial "Bike Down a Volcano" tour. Field examination revealed a possible pneumothorax and other serious internal injuries and extremity fractures. Advanced life support procedures were begun before F.M. was transferred to an ambulance and taken to a hospital. He was admitted to the ICU with eight fractured ribs, a flail chest, a hemothorax and pneumothorax, a fractured clavicle and a fractured wrist. This was the 84th reported commercial bicycling accident in the park since January 1st. About 60% of these were serious, requiring ALS care and ambulance transport. [Kerry Buck, HAL, 8/18]
Despite close monitoring of the five commercial bike tour incidental business permittees operating in the park, there's been an average of one bike accident every two-and-a-half business days this year. On September 21st, G.C., 46, suffered lumbar vertebrae compression fractures when he lost control of his bicycle, ran off the narrow shoulder of the road, went down an embankment, and landed on his back in a lava field. He was treated on scene by park paramedic Kerry Buck and transported to a hospital by ambulance. Three days later, 52-year-old J.W. was severely injured while on a tour ride when she reportedly struck a rock, fell over the handlebars, and landed on a rock. First responder Mike Ing, EMTs Sharon Ringsven and John Lauretig and park medic Bob Zydanowicz provided advanced life support. Initial response was delayed because bike tour leaders moved J.W. from the area and responding rangers had difficulty finding her. J.W. at first responded only to pain stimuli, but improved slightly with the administration of oxygen and fluids. She was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery for extensive liver damage. She is now in guarded condition. This accident received considerable media attention because J.W.'s husband is the president of Arkansas State University. Two more bike accidents occurred shortly thereafter. While bike tour leaders were rendering aid to J.W., a rider on another tour who was "rubber-necking" while passing the accident scene fell and suffered minor injuries. Then, just minutes after the ambulance carrying J.W. left the park, another cyclist fell near the same curve and was injured. On average, over 360 riders per day take part in commercial bike tours in the park. There have been 104 accidents so far this year. Contributing circumstances vary and include inattention, speed, and riders overestimating their ability to handle the steep, winding road, which drops 10,000 feet to sea level over 36 miles. [Kerry Buck, PR, Summit District, HALE, 9/28]
On September 28th, ranger/EMTs John Lauretig and Roger Mayo responded to a pre-dawn fall in the rocks near the park's visitor center. D.W., who led the bike tour in which J.W. was injured (above), fell while walking down the White Hill trail and fractured his hip. D.W. was immobilized and evacuated up a scree slope, transported to Maui Memorial Hospital, where he was stabilized, then flown to a hospital in Honolulu for further care. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 9/28]
A Sunshine Helicopters tour helicopter made a forced landing among the archeological ruins on Kuloa Point in the Kipahulu area of the park on the morning of October 6th. Witnesses said that the helicopter, trailing black smoke and suffering from a lack of oil pressure, auto-rotated to a successful landing. Neither the pilot nor any of his six passengers was injured. The passengers were picked up by another helicopter which landed nearby. Staff from the tour company guarded the aircraft overnight and secured it from high winds. The helicopter was partially dismantled the next day, then loaded on a large flatbed and driven 64 miles back to its airport. Park staff stopped the company from dragging the helicopter through the archeological site and worked with the hauling company to find a route around the rock features to mitigate resource damage. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, Kipahulu District, HALE, 10/16]
Rangers responded to their third medical incident in as many hours on the morning of October 19th, reportedly another routine bicycle accident. County dispatch requested a mutual aid response by medics to the 6,000-foot elevation of the highway leading to the park, which at that point passes through private open-range ranch lands. Upon arrival, rangers found a 45- year-old woman in the highway; she was suffering from multiple traumatic injuries and severe closed-head injuries, was breathing poorly, and had an altered level of consciousness. The woman was evidently passing a small group of cattle along the roadside when one of the dehorned cows turned, charged the bicycle, and butted it in the rear tire, pitching the woman over the handlebars. She remains hospitalized in critical condition. [Kerry Buck, DR, Summit District, HALE, 10/19]
Rangers were summoned to a commercial bike tour accident on October 27th. When they arrived, they found that M.M., 54, of Syracuse, New York, had no pulse and was not breathing. CPR had been begun by her husband and tour staff; park paramedics and EMTs took over, began advanced cardiac life support measures, got some initial response, but were ultimately unable to revive her. M.M. had lost control of her bike, gone off the road, and fallen down a 15-foot embankment. The autopsy indicated that she could have died of any of several injuries she suffered, including severe internal trauma and cervical spine fractures. Investigation of the incident showed that the accident occurred in clear weather, on a straight stretch of roadway, and at a very low speed. There were no apparent contributing factors other than the rider's failure to maintain control of her bicycle. Although there have been numerous serious bicycling accidents this year, this is the first bike-related death to occur inside the park since commercial bike tours began in June, 1983. There have been a total of 117 bike-related accidents in the park so far in 1998, and the superintendent has established a task force to deal with this continuing problem. Maui County police officers have expressed an interest in participating, as there have been other serious accidents, including several fatalities, outside the park. [Kerry Buck, EMS Coordinator, HALE, 11/8]
A visitor contacted ranger John Lauretig at his residence on Thanksgiving evening, reporting that his mother had suffered a heart attack and that CPR was in progress on her in the park headquarters parking lot. Lauretig found that the 60-year-old woman had no pulse, was not breathing, and was unresponsive. He inserted a nasal airway, provided oxygen, and took over compressions. After 20 minutes of CPR, her heart began beating irregularly and she resumed breathing. The ambulance had arrived by that time and transported her to Maui Memorial Hospital. She was admitted to the ICU, then released four days later. [Kerry Buck, EMS Coordinator, HALE, 1/20]
The higher elevations of Haleakala volcano began receiving heavy rain late on the morning of Wednesday, October 20th. Rangers began clearing visitors from the upper valleys, including the upper falls section of Hawaii's longest wild river, Palikea Stream. Flood warnings were also posted. The Kipahulu patrol ranger spotted a 12-foot-high wall of water raging down the stream gorge just before 2 p.m. and rushed to move visitors out of the way downstream. Some of them had not seen the rising water or understood why people were yelling at them until it was too late. Twelve visitors became stranded on high rocks in the stream bed, with waters rising around them and no way to climb out. The rushing water ultimately rose to 15 feet and threatened to sweep all of them over several falls and into the ocean 900 feet away. Park, Maui FD and Coast Guard personnel responded. Technical gear was employed by park staff to lift six stranded hikers up to the north side of the gulch; Maui firefighters lifted another four up the south side of the gulch with assistance from police officers; a Coast Guard helicopter hoisted the remaining pair from an overhanging cave beneath the cliffs on the south bank of the stream. Dozens of visitors watched the rescue effort, and home videos of the incident appeared on television the next morning. The storm also washed out several stream fords and closed the south approach road, which connects the park to the resort side of the island. The road remained closed for about 24 hours. Ranger Roger Mayo coordinated the rescue effort. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, Acting CR, HALE, 10/22]
Parks throughout the system are making preparations for millennium-related events which will take place on or around New Years Eve. The Morning Report will provide continuing updates on those preparations and on the activities themselves as they occur. Today's initial entry comes from Jerry McCarthy in Pacific West Region: o Haleakala NP (HI) - Due to several potential problems, current plans are to close the park from sunset on December 31st to sunrise on January 1st. Access would be permitted for workers at the observatory. The park is under pressure to remain open, however, as it has been listed in the media as being one of the 10 best places to experience the millennium. Park staff have been in contact with the media to advise them on current plans. Most local and commercial operators have supported the closure. January 1st appears to be booked for all activities; the bike ride down from the summit is expected to draw over 300 riders after the park reopens at sunrise. Traffic is expected to be extremely heavy. Parks making similar preparations are encouraged to submit short summaries to the Morning Report. [Editor]
On Friday, November 26th, rangers caught two men soliciting donations from visitors in exchange for t-shirts. The men appeared to be prepared for a confrontation with law enforcement rangers. They were equipped with two-way radios, copies of the Code of Federal Regulations, typed instructions and the phone numbers of lawyers they said were behind the operation, laminated flyers, and cash receipts. Interpretive rangers caught wind of the scheme when visitors came to the visitor center and reported that the men had told them that their t-shirts helped the park and benefited the trails. They went to the area and talked to the two vendors while reporting the incident to the district ranger. A park maintenance worker reported by radio that he'd spotted their vehicle in the parking lot. One of the men was dispensing receipts at the trailhead; the other was dispensing t-shirts from the back of a white SUV very similar to park patrol vehicles. When contacted by enforcement staff, the men claimed to have a letter from Washington giving them permission to collect donations, but were unable to produce the letter, a permit or any other identification. Their responses also appeared to have been scripted. The shirts and method of operation appear to be a more sophisticated version of similar operations in Kipahulu in 1996, at which time the t-shirt solicitors were removed from the park. They then moved into state and county parks, prompting the state of Hawaii to promulgate regulations based upon the CFR provided to them by Haleakala chief ranger Karen Ardoin, who also testified on behalf of the regulations. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, HALE, 12/21]
On the morning of January 26th, rangers Roger Mayo and Erik Larson arrested S.S. for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia in the Kipahulu campground. Larson was uncooperative and assaulted Mayo while being handcuffed. Mayo evaded the blows and employed pepper spray to subdue S.S. Felony assault charges are pending. S.S. will appear in court in Honolulu today. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 1/26]
Corrections to errors in the Morning Report are normally posted in the "Operational Notes" section, but this one needs to be highlighted. Last week's report of the assault at Haleakala was garbled during the editing process. It noted at the outset that rangers Roger Mayo and Erik Larson arrested one S.S. for drug possession, then said that Larson was uncooperative and assaulted Mayo while being handcuffed. It should have said that S.S. was the one who assaulted Mayo. We have no indications that rangers Mayo and Larson are on anything but the best of terms and regret the error. [Editor]
While on patrol in the Kipahulu District, ranger Roger Mayo saw a young man sitting on the abutment of the Palikea Stream bridge, talking to passing motorists and holding a quart baggie filled with a leafy green substance. When the man saw the patrol car, he tried to hide the bag, then grabbed it and fled when Mayo stopped and got out to talk to him. Mayo ordered him to drop the bag and stop, but he ran into the woods. Mayo pursued him over rugged terrain, through an ancient coconut grove with hundreds of rolling coconuts and fallen branches to hop over, back down the road and over the bridge, then down a 25-foot slope to the edge of the stream. Both men fell on the way down the bank; Mayo hit a boulder and suffered facial injuries. As he rose, Mayo could see that the man was dumping the baggie into the stream above a waterfall. The chase resumed, heading upstream from boulder to boulder until the man reached a waist-deep pool with nowhere to go. Visitors who saw Mayo's bloody face ran to the visitor center to call for help. Meanwhile, Mayo cuffed the man and removed him from the stream. A visitor jumped into the stream and scooped up some of the marijuana that hadn't gone over the falls, put it back in the bag, and handed it to Mayo. Rangers and police helped Mayo with the transport and booking of the prisoner. Mayo received medical attention and was back at work the next day. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, HALE, 4/6]
Ranger Greg Moss investigated a report of disorderly conduct at the Air Force's Maui Space Surveillance Site adjacent to the park summit on the evening of April 30th. J.R.J., the person causing the problem, was known to park, county and military law enforcement officers for aberrant and threatening behavior, including threats to defense facilities. While en route to the scene, Moss learned that J.R.J. had grabbed a visitor, told him that he was "security" for the site, and had ordered him to leave. This was followed by another complaint from members of a commercial astronomy tour group. While awaiting local police backup, Moss parked his patrol car across the summit overlook exit. J.R.J. charged Moss with his vehicle, with the hood still raised, and gave no indication of slowing or attempting to avoid the patrol vehicle. Moss narrowly evaded collision, then gave chase and stopped and arrested J.R.J. J.R.J. is presently being held without bail. He is awaiting competency testing and grand jury indictments for assault, DUI and several other charges. This is the third assault on park rangers at Haleakala within a year. All have been drug or alcohol related. (Kerry Buck, ADR, HALE, 4/12)
Early in May, rangers learned from sources in the local New Age community that a gathering was planned on the mountain for the night of May 4th in conjunction with the planetary alignment that evening. Posters advertised meditation, dancing and live music at the summit overlook. In 1986, a similar gathering was held on the mountain, but was so large it required a regional SET team with support from rangers throughout the Pacific islands. This event proved to be much smaller. Rangers Michael Grate and Greg Moss worked through the night, contacting people who arrived in a few dozen cars. Their presence apparently served as a deterrent - neither the live music nor the dancing took place and there were no incidents. [Karen Ardoin, CR, HALE, 5/12]
On the evening of May 20th, C.C., 21, jumped from the Ohe'o bridge into the pool 50 feet below. She landed on her back and subsequently complained of back pain. Several of her friends pulled her out of the water and onto a rock ledge below the highway bridge, then summoned help. Ranger Erik Larson and local fire, police and EMS personnel responded. Larson, an EMT, began medical treatment and continued it until paramedics arrived on scene. While = was being prepared for extrication, Larson and a county police officer set up a high-angle raising system to lift her to the roadway and a waiting ambulance. Larson and district ranger Greg Moss had just conducted a technical rescue training class that included fire and police personnel. C.C. was taken to a medical center in Hana, where she was treated and released. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 5/24]
On Saturday, August 12th, visitors saw a naked man deliberately jump from the top of the 195-foot Makahiku Falls. They said that he surfaced once before sinking in the pool at the base of the falls. Local fire and EMS personnel assisted in locating the body, which was found 12 feet under the surface of the pool. The victim was identified as 23-year-old J.B. of Utah. Ranger Roger Mayo is investigating for the park. Suicide has been ruled out by evidence collected at the scene. [Greg Moss, HALE, 8/15]
On the evening of October 29th, ranger Erik Larson and two Maui residents rescued two stranded visitors who had been swept off the Hana Highway six miles outside the park's Kipahulu District. Larson answered the call for assistance when both Hana police and fire teams found that they could not reach the area due to flooding and debris on the road. The visitors and their car were swept from the highway by a swollen stream that had jumped its banks. Larson found the couple in a tree above the swift-moving floodwater and rescued them with help from the two local residents. Both were okay. A reported 12.6 inches of rain fell in the Hana area in a 24-hour period, causing the severe flooding. [Jennifer Spaulding, PIO, HALE, 10/31]
On the afternoon of November 11th, a Swiss visitor reported that he'd been involved in an accident just outside the park which had left his SUV balancing on the edge of a 50-foot sea cliff. Ranger Roger Mayo responded. While there, Mayo overhead a county fire and rescue unit being dispatched to a water rescue within three miles of Mayo's location. Since the fire and rescue unit was 30 minutes away, Mayo offered to help and arrived on-scene within five minutes of the initial call. He learned that T.J., 55, of Wyoming, had been swimming in a series of freshwater pools just above the ocean. He slid down a natural rock chute into a strong whirlpool, possibly hitting his head as he entered the pool. T.J. surfaced at least twice before being pushed below an undercut rock ledge by the current. Mayo and local officers searched for T.J. and found his body., which was recovered by Maui County FD. This is the fourth fatality Mayo has responded to in the Kipahulu area in the last 17 months. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, Kipahulu District, HALE, 11/13]
Ranger Jonathan Liakos responded to a report of a visitor defecating publicly in a stream at 'Ohe'o on New Year's Day and came upon a group of five people preparing to jump from the busy highway bridge to the pool about 50 feet below. Liakos' attention was drawn to 27-year-old D.B., who stripped off his clothing as Liakos pulled into view. Liakos detained D.B. for investigation of disorderly conduct and public intoxication. NCIC checks revealed that there was a $50,000 warrant from the Denver Sheriff's Department on D.B. for parole violations in conjunction with drug convictions. When he realized that he would be extradited, D.B. told Liakos that he'd rather die than go back to jail and that he was going to attack him. Liakos subdued and arrested D.B., then transported him to Wailuku with the assistance of ranger Roger Mayo. He will be extradited to Colorado. The originally reported sanitation incident was unrelated to this case and has been closed for insufficient evidence. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 1/3]
Ranger Jonathan Liakos was patrolling in the Lelekea are of the park on January 17th when he spotted a Jeep on an embankment half in and half out of the ocean. Waves were cresting at five feet, there were two people still in the car, and the shoreline consisted of slippery, round rocks on a steep slope. As each successive wave battered the Jeep, it was pulled further downslope and into the ocean. Liakos noted that neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt and that the Jeep was teetering and in danger of overturning. His immediate concern was that it would overturn and that the occupants would be struck by the roll bar or crushed by the Jeep and drown before they could be rescued. Liakos jumped into the surf to pull the passenger - S.R. of Texas - from the Jeep, timing his actions between surges. At the same time, he directed driver J.C., also of Texas, to fasten his seatbelt in the event the Jeep rolled over before Liakos could get him out. The open-topped Jeep filled with water and was now being hit broadside by the waves. Due to the angle of the vehicle, J.C. could not safely escape. Liakos got a length of rope from his patrol vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe, and ran it from the Tahoe to the Jeep. Then, with the assistance of two area residents, he pulled J.C. and the Jeep back to the roadway. J.C. and S.R. said that they'd done lots of off-road driving in Texas and had felt comfortable in leaving the road to drive along the rocky beach. Amazingly, J.C. was able to restart the Jeep and drive from the scene. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 1/21]
A visitor contacted interpretive ranger Byron Cook and law enforcement ranger Jonathan Liakos on January 14th and told them that a man had exposed himself in the Kipahulu campground and requested sex. He was not in the area when Liakos got there, but the subsequent investigation has led to a suspect who is a "registered mental defective" and to multiple Maui County cases involving possible child endangerment, child molestation, and domestic abuse. Cook, an amateur sketch artist, took a crack at developing a composite drawing from descriptions provided by witnesses. Liakos reports that the resulting drawing bore an uncanny resemblance to the suspect. The investigation is continuing. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 1/21]
Kipahulu rangers Roger Mayo and Jonathan Liakos saw a car heading through the park at a speed under five miles per hour on the afternoon of January 27th. They stopped the driver for not wearing a seatbelt. As they approached the car, they saw marijuana (confirmed by field tests), paraphernalia and three large knives (one a quick-release Spyder) in plain view. The vehicle was searched. The driver and passenger had in their possession three more knives, a demolition hammer, two handmade clubs, several large screwdrivers directly under the front seat, and three bags of marijuana. NCIC and driver's license checks revealed that there were several outstanding warrants against the two men. They were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of an open container of alcohol, and driving without either a license or insurance. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 1/28]
Kipahulu District rangers Jon Liakos and Roger Mayo were involved in a number of search and rescue operations during the weekend of February 16th. On Friday night, police dispatchers reported a lost hiker. The man had gone hiking after dark without a flashlight, but had a cell phone with him. He called 911 around 8 p.m. to report that he was lost and that he had been using the flash on his camera to illuminate his way down the trail until the flash ran out. The two rangers found the man and a woman in a pasture, where they had stopped walking for fear of going over one of the cliffs in the area. Although unharmed, they missed their flight at an airport two-and-a-half hours away due to their calculation that they could drive out to the park, take a four-mile hike to the furthest waterfall, and still get back in time for a 9 p.m. departure. On Saturday, an emotionally disturbed 17-year-old girl jumped off a cliff into a pool in Palikea Stream against the advice of her companions. She didn't clear the cliff and hit the back of her head on lava rocks, then landed in the water. When she came to the surface, she was convulsing. Cooperating association sales clerk Walter Pu called for an ambulance, took the girl's vital signs, and stabilized her until Liakos and Mayo could arrive. She was taken to Hana Medical Center, then flown to a hospital on Kahului. She's expected to fully recover from her injury. On Sunday night, Mayo received a report that a dozen Japanese nationals were overdue from a multi-day hike in the Haleakala wilderness area. He and Liakos conducted a hasty search of the Kaupo area, but learned around 8 a.m. that the group had left the area. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, Kipahulu District, HALE, 2/23]
On May 26th, maintenance worker John Brown and interpretive ranger Byron Cook saw and identified a prison escapee in the park's Kipahulu campground and notified ranger Jon Liakos. J.D., a 6'4" martial arts master, had escaped earlier in the week from the Maui Community Correctional Center. Although J.D. was evidently under the influence of crystal methamphetamine, Liakos was able to arrest him without incident. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE, 5/29]
Further updates have been received on the status of NPS areas and/or staff responses to Tuesday's terrorist attacks: o Haleakala NP (HI) - A partial road closure - seven-tenths of a mile - is in effect at the request of the FAA. Other closures and operations are essentially as noted yesterday. [Russ Wilson, GATE/SHU, 9/12; Clayton Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN, 9/13; Karl Merchant, Plans, Type 2 IMT, NERO, 9/13]
The National Park Service continues to provide support to its parks and employees, gather information on the status of field areas for DOI, and deal with security issues throughout the country, including the brokering of numerous requests for operational support. The Service's Type 1 IMT (Eddie Lopez, IC) continues its operations from the South Interior Building; the Type 2 East Team (Bob Panko, IC) is overseeing the NPS expanded dispatch operation at Shenandoah NP. Here's a current report on the status of parks affected by this incident: o Haleakala - The short spur road to the observatory complex is closed. [EICC/Type 2 IMT, SHEN, 9/27; Kris Fister, NPS Type 1 IMT, WASO, 9/28; Pat Buccello, CISM Team, 9/28; Billy Garrett, Superintendent, Jamaica Bay Unit, GATE, 9/27]
Responding to island-wide flooding which claimed three lives outside of the park, rangers Jon Liakos and Michael Boxx rescued two California visitors from Palikea Stream within the Kipahulu area of Haleakala. The stream was swollen to 15 feet above average flow, trapping the California couple on a ledge. During the technical rescue out of the gorge, the woman had an asthma attack and was supported with oxygen by ranger/EMT's until they could get her to her inhaler in their car in the parking lot. Newspapers throughout the state covered the rescue. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, DR, HALE, 2/4]
While taking pictures in the Kipahulu area on May 4th, X.W., 42, of New York city, slipped and fell into a swift moving stream and was immediately washed over a small waterfall. Her husband, K.W., 50, was swept into the water while attempting to rescue his wife. He grabbed and held her briefly before a large ocean wave came into the mouth of the stream, washing K.W. up onto a rock in the middle of a pool and pulling X.W. back into the stream and then into the ten-foot ocean surf. Ranger Jon Liakos and visitor use assistant Jackie Frost stabilized K.W. in the pool with lines and a flotation vest, then persuaded him not to attempt to follow his wife into the ocean surge. Since the water was too swift to pull K.W. to safety, a county helicopter was summoned. The helicopter extricated K.W., then retrieved X.W.'s body. Ranger Ida Hanohano managed a crowd of over 35 extremely distraught bystanders and directed rescuers from other agencies. She is credited with saving additional lives by successfully persuading others not to enter the dangerous surf and turbulent stream confluence. [Karen Newton, Acting Superintendent, HALE, 5/6]
The park and the Kipahulu 'Ohana hosted a dedication and blessing of the Kapahu Farm in the Kipahulu area of the park on Saturday, July 27th. The Kipahulu 'Ohana, a local, nonprofit native Hawaiian organization, cultivates lo'i (taro patches) and other Polynesian introduced plants at the 2.5-acre Kapahu Farm. Farming and related public cultural demonstrations, hikes and tours are conducted by the 'Ohana through a cooperative agreement with the park. A recently completed hale (traditional shelter), a large pohaku (stone), and the farm were dedicated during a ceremony that included traditional native Hawaiian chants and speeches. An original chant, written specifically about Kapahu, was offered by the children of the founding members of the Kipahulu 'Ohana. Over 250 guests attended the dedication including local media and a state senator. [Jennifer Talken-Spaulding, PIO, HALE]
A 29-year-old woman from Atlanta, Georgia, became stranded in the Palikea stream during a flash flood on August 12th. She was carried downstream to within 15 feet of Makahiku Falls, a 200-foot drop. Park staff were concentrating on getting several hundred people out of the lower pools in advance of rising water when they got word that the woman was stranded a half-mile upstream. By the time they got to her location, she was clinging to a rock just above the falls in fast-moving water. Park staff responded from both sides of the stream, sending her a seat harness and line with which they were able to keep her from going further downstream. They then sent her ascenders and assisted her in climbing up the bank. The woman had some technical climbing experience, which probably contributed greatly to her survival. This was the second major flash flood of the weekend; in both cases, visitors in the lower pools area were moved out just in time to avoid additional incidents. [Karen Newton, CR, HALE]
On January 27, visitors saw a 27-year-old man jump off the 184-foot
Makahiku Falls into the 10 to 15-foot-deep pool below. Rangers worked
the margins of the pool until midnight, looking for the man. The search
effort was to resume at first light yesterday morning. If his body does
not appear, plans are have searchers snorkel the hundred by hundred foot
pool, which is filled with rocks.
While en route to work in the Kipahula area on the afternoon of
February 2, ranger Jon Liakos observed suspicious activity by M.C.
38, a known drug dealer. Maui PD asked Liakos and ranger John
Woychowski to assist with surveillance. M.C. was subsequently
contacted and found to have the following in his possession - marijuana,
drug paraphernalia, cash in a bank bag, and a notebook with entries
specifying money owed to him, with dollar amounts, names and telephone
numbers. There were also references to "ICE Contacts." M.C. had
recently been released from jail from convictions for dealing heroin and
cocaine and was on probation. During the arrest, M.C. made numerous
death threats against the rangers and MPD officers. While being
processed for transport to the holding facility in Wailuku, M.C. broke
the wooden block which secured his three leg shackles to the concrete
floor of the booking room. He then escaped out of the Hana Police
Station into the dense forests surrounding that facility. Maui PD asked
for additional rangers to assist in the search for M.C. Four rangers
from the Summit District were dispatched and participated in the search
until midnight. The search resumed yesterday morning, with three rangers
participating. M.C. was still at large at the time of the report.
Shortly after 4:30 p.m. on April 10th, K.B., 39, his wife,
H.B., and their children C.B., 11, and E.B., 8, all from
Louisville, Kentucky, were hiking along 'Ohe'o Stream when E.B.
fell part way across. As her father was helping her, family members
heard a loud noise and saw a six-foot wall of water sweep down the creek
and carry the two over the 200-foot-high Makahiku Falls. The mother and
son were able to scramble up the steep slope to safety. A search was
begun, but no sign of the father and daughter has yet been found. Due to
the extreme flooding, pools along the entire downstream stretch of the
'Ohe'o and the ocean are both being included in the search area. Maui FD
divers are searching submerged ledges and underwater caves in the stream
as the turbulent water permits. At the time of the incident, light rain
was reported at Kipahulu VC and a flash flood warning had just been
released. That warning, posted at 4:25 p.m., covered the area from
Kipahulu to Haiku. The National Weather Service reported a 24-hour rain
total of .98 inches at 'Ohe'o, 3.23 inches in Hana, and 2.51 inches in
Kaupo
Repeated searches of the half-mile stretch of 'Ohe'o Stream from
Makahiku Falls to the ocean were made throughout the weekend, but were
hampered by continued flooding. By late Saturday, waters had subsided
enough for divers to check the several pools along the stream, but no
sign was found of either K.B., 39, or his daughter, E.B., 8,
who were swept over the 200-foot falls by a flashflood on Thursday.
Vegetation was bent back from 15 to 20 feet above the normal stream
level below the falls, indicating the height of the flood. On Monday
afternoon, a bathing suit bottom was found along the ocean coast about a
mile from the point where the incident occurred. It was identified as
part of the suit worn by E.B. IC Ron Martin has suspended
that portion of the search that was being conducted within the park.
On the evening of Monday, August 18th, K.O., 41, his wife
M.O., 37, and their children B.O., 11, and A.O, 7, were
swimming in the lower pool when A.O.'s flip-flop floated away and he
went after it. His father caught up with him and was holding his arm
when they were swept out of the pool into a narrow, rocky section of the
stream that leads to the ocean. The father had A.O. in a bear hug as
they went through the rocky stream section, protecting him from the
rocks and the incoming ocean surf. Dean Miller, an EMT from Placentia,
California, who was on the edge of the stream, swam into the ocean and
caught hold of A.O., but was unable to reach K.O. K.O. was carried
further out into the ocean, where he was seen swimming in rough ocean
conditions with four- to six-foot breaks, above average swell, and 10 to
15 mph winds. The Maui Fire Department rescue helicopter lifted him from
the ocean about an hour later. He was pronounced dead by paramedics. At
the time of the incident, "no swimming" signs were posted due to the
above average stream level. According to witnesses, the stream was not
flash flooding at the time of the event and the water was clear.
Rainsqualls over the past several days had dumped rain at higher
elevations that lead to the above average stream levels. Ranger Amy
Brees is the lead investigator.
Ranger Suzanne Roberts died yesterday while attempting to clear a
rock fall in the park's Kipahulu District. The accident occurred
between 10 and 11 a.m. along the Hana
Road. Roberts, who was driving from the Kaupo District, stopped near the
Ka'apahu area to remove rocks in the narrow road and was hit by another
rock from the adjacent hillside. A witness who had followed the
patrol car watched the incident. Roberts was transported by
ambulance to the Hana Medical Center and was pronounced dead. Additional
information will be posted as soon as it is available.
Ranger Suzanne "Suzi" E. Roberts died Tuesday while attempting to remove rocks on the road in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park on Maui. She had worked at the park since April as a law enforcement ranger. She was 36. Roberts was on duty in the Kipahulu District and on Hana Road in the Alelele area when she noticed several rocks in the middle of the road, recently fallen from an adjacent cliff. She parked the patrol car on a nearby access road to the Alelele beach area and walked down the main road to clear the rocks. While bending over to remove the rocks, she was hit in the upper back and head by a boulder in excess of three feet in diameter that fell from the cliff. Witnesses used the radio in her cruiser to contact the NPS Pacific Area Dispatch Center. Rangers and Maui police, ambulance and fire units arrived within 15 minutes. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. She was taken by ambulance to the Hana Medical Center. "Suzi was doing what rangers do," said her supervisor, unit manager Eric Anderson. "She was making the place safe for others." Roberts had served as a long-time seasonal in Rocky Mountain National Park before transferring to Haleakala this spring. "She was so energetic and full of life," Anderson said. "She had a lot of rangering experience and a great personality. Visitors loved her. And so did we. We feel a tremendous sense of loss." Director Mainella has authorized the wearing of black bands on badges and mourning devices on civilian clothes from today through the date of interment. [Submitted by Holly Bundock, Public Affairs Officer, Pacific West Regional Office]
Ranger Suzanne "Suzi" E. Roberts, 36, died on Tuesday, September
14th, when struck by a boulder while attempting to remove rocks on the
road in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park on Maui. On
September 20th, her body was cremated and her family and park staff
participated in a private memorial service on a park beach. Services for
Suzi have been tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. on Monday, September
27th, at a church near Tabernash, Colorado, as she had worked many years
at Rocky Mountain NP. At the request of the family, this will be more of
a memorial service for friends and coworkers and not a formal funeral
for a fallen officer. Although the family appreciates the thoughts and
sympathies of Suzi's friends and colleagues in the NPS, they're not
necessarily expecting people to travel from across the county to attend
this ceremony. Flags lowered to half staff in her memory
are to be returned to full staff on Wednesday, September 22nd. This will
also mark the conclusion of the period for the wearing of black bands
and other mourning devices.
Niau kololani ka helena, hunan a maka i ke aouli. (Silently and quickly she departed, to hide her eyes in the sky). Hawaiian Proverb Family, friends, and coworkers gathered this past Sunday to celebrate
the life of park ranger Susan "Suzi" Roberts, who was killed earlier the
previous week in a rock fall accident along Hana Highway at Alalele. The
brief ceremony occurred at Hamoa Bay along the Hana coast. It was a
favorite spot for Suzi. The gathering offered laughter, tears,
chants, and prayers in memory of a fallen friend and family member, and
ended with flowers released into the surf. Her father, Jim Roberts, said
that the family was amazed by the number of people who came to the
informal ceremony and the aloha offered by the people of Hana and her
friends. "It shows what kind of person Suzi was to have touched so many
people during such a short time here in Maui," he said. Flags flew at
half-staff this past week throughout the National Park System to honor
Suzi. Additional services will take place later in the week in
Winter Park, Colorado, near Rocky Mountain National Park. Suzi worked
for ten years as a seasonal ranger at Rocky Mountain before coming to
Maui in April of this year. The family has requested that any donations
be sent in Suzi's name to the Student Conservation Association, National
Park Program, PO Box 550, Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603-0550 (phone:
603-543-1700, fax: 603-543-1828), or to any national park. Cards or
remembrances may be sent to Roberts Family, c/o Haleakala National Park,
PO Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768.
A memorial service to celebrate ranger Suzi Robert's life will be held on Monday, September 27th at 1:00 p.m. at the Church of Eternal Hills in Tabernash, Colorado (details appear below). Suzi died on September 14th while attempting to remove rocks on the road in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park on Maui. She had worked at the park since April as a law enforcement ranger. She was 36 years old. Suzi worked in the Colorado River District of Rocky Mountain National Park from 1995 through 2004. She accepted her first permanent ranger position in Haleakala this past April. Suzi served in a variety of positions on the westside of Rocky Mountain National Park, including working in the entrance station, as an interpretive ranger and for her last five years at Rocky as a law enforcement ranger. Suzi was an alpine skier and coach, a lift operator foreman at Winter Park Ski Area, and taught special needs children how to ski. She obtained an MS in recreation and park administration from the University of Wyoming. Suzi was a cherished and dear friend to many in Grand County and was a great ranger.The family has requested that any donations be sent in her name to: The Student Conservation Association, National Park Program, PO Box 550, Charlestown, NH 03603-0550 or to any national park of your choice in care of the National Park Foundation, 11 Dupont Circle NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036. Cards or remembrances may be sent to: The Roberts Family, c/o Rocky Mountain National Park, PO Box 100, Grand Lake, CO 80447. The memorial service will be held at the Church of Eternal Hills located at 100 Meadows Boulevard in Tabernash, Colorado. The phone number for the church is 970-887-3603. The church is located a mile east of Tabernash off U.S. 40. All uniformed National Park Service employees planning on attending the memorial service should wear the formal winter Class A dress uniform, which includes long sleeve shirt, Class A pants, tie, felt hat and Ike jacket (short jacket). If you don't have this full uniform, then the Class A dress summer uniform or other uniform issued will be appropriate. All employees who plan on wearing a dress uniform are asked to arrive at 11:00 a.m. for a briefing, including a review of proper protocols. All other uniformed NPS employees not wearing a dress uniform should arrive no later than 12:30 p.m. For further information please contact Kyle Patterson, public information officer for Rocky Mountain NP, at 970-586-1363.
Over 425 people attended the memorial service for Suzi Roberts on Monday, September 27th, at the Church of Eternal Hills in Tabernash, Colorado. It was fitting that on the day family and friends gathered to celebrate Suzi's life, the skies were blue, the views from the church were of snow-capped mountains, and gold and orange aspen reflected the sun's rays. It was a beautiful autumn day in an area Suzi loved and spent nine years of her life. Words of remembrance were shared by Suzi's brother G., Amy Brees and Eric Andersen from Haleakala National Park, Julie Turner a co-worker from Winter Park Ski Area and Bob Love from Saguaro National Park, formerly from Rocky Mountain National Park. Many tears were shed and laughs shared remembering Suzi's love of life, sense of humor, wonderful potential and diverse ranger skills. Among the many poignant moments during the service, several stand out:
Suzi "Sooz" Roberts received a fitting tribute and farewell from her family, friends and NPS colleagues.[Submitted by Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs, Rocky Mountain NP]
A visitor hiking with three friends in the Lelekea Stream drainage in the Kipahulu area of the park was killed when he dislodged a boulder that rolled on top of him. The 25-year-old man was trapped underwater by a boulder that measured over four feet long by three feet wide. One friend was able to hold his head above water while he remained conscious and alert; the remaining two hikers went for help. When they returned, they were able to lever the boulder off with rock bars before emergency personnel arrived. NPS personnel and bystanders began CPR and transported him to a clear area where a Maui Fire Department helicopter was able to short haul him out. Ambulance personnel continued working on him, but he did not recover from his injury and died. The Lelekea drainage is approximately one mile east of the Alelele area where ranger Suzi Roberts was killed in September, 2004. [Amy Brees, Incident Commander]
Rain and wind knocked out power to the park on the afternoon of Sunday, March 26th. Driving storm winds with gusts of 70 mph, hail, and sleet forced the closure of Haleakala Visitor Center and restrooms located at the rim of Haleakalā on Monday morning. Visitors were encouraged to turn around or just go to the Headquarters Visitor Center at the 7,000 foot level. Although the road to the summit was open with no ice, the wind chill was estimated at two degrees below zero with winds five mph shy of being classified as hurricane force. Additional storms were predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday. At the time of the report, the park was planning to reopen the Haleakala Visitor Center on Tuesday morning, but it was considered possible that ice would force a continuation of the closure. Heaters at the visitor center and pumps for the restroom facilities were inoperable on Sunday and Monday, which was the major reason for the closure of the facilities. [Dominic Cardea, Chief of Interpretation]
On Wednesday, September 6th, a 73-year-old park visitor from Louisiana died while on a downhill bicycle tour in the park. The man was part of a tour group that had begun its ride at 10,000 feet on the volcano and continued down the mountain for five-and-a-half miles through wind and rain. After successfully negotiating one of dozens of turns, the group entered a straight, wind-protected section. Witnesses said that they saw the man veer to the right, then stop abruptly, at which point he flew over the handlebars and landed about eight to ten feet down the bank from the roadway. A member of the tour company called park dispatch. Rangers and a park medic arrived on scene shortly thereafter and found the man in the shrubbery on the scree slope on the downhill side of the road. He was unresponsive and had no pulse. CPR was begun, an AED was used, and other ALS measures were taken, but he never regained consciousness. An emergency room doctor directed that CPR be terminated after about 45 minutes. Rangers received valuable help from first responder trained park maintenance personnel and visitor use assistants. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, Chief Ranger]
A 6.6 magnitude earthquake centered about a mile west-southwest of Waikoloa on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii rocked the entire island chain just after 7 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, October 15th. Shortly thereafter, the islands were shaken by a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. These two big quakes were followed by more than 20 aftershocks, mostly in the 3.0 to 4.5 range. The first quake caused severe damage to the Kona, Kohala and Hamakua areas of the Big Island. Power was out throughout much of the state. All major airports were shut down temporarily until power was restored. All the national parks in Hawaii immediately began damage assessments. The Pacific Area Communication Center, which serves as the central dispatching center for all the Hawaii parks, remained open and functional throughout the disaster. Radio communication and the phone system remained intact. The following is a roundup of reports from affected parks: Haleakala NP - The summit area of the park suffered little damage from the earthquake - a few rocks on the road, closure of restrooms, and a power outage for about two-and-half hours. No structural damage occurred. There were several landslides in the Alelele and Kalepa areas which took out four telephone poles, guard rails and buried the county road in debris. A ranger who was on duty evacuated the Kipahulu campground and closed the popular Oheo Gulch stream area in preparation for a potential tsunami. The ranger was temporarily without phone and radio communications due to power outages on both Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii where dispatch is located. No tsunami occurred. The county of Maui closed the highway through Kaupo and it will likely remain closed for several weeks while the Federal Highways Administration and county engineers check structural integrity of bridges and road sections, some of which date back to the early 1920's. No damage to historic wilderness cabins or trails have been reported. All visitor services remained open, though visitors were cautioned to watch for debris on roadways and trails. FEMA has assembled a U.S. Forest Service team to document damage to federal areas. The team is scheduled to arrive on the Big Island sometime this week. [Sharon Ringsven, Park Ranger, HALE; Gail Minami-Judd, Incident Commander, HAVO; Kaiini Kaloi, Department of the Interior]
A 6.6 magnitude earthquake on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii rocked the entire island chain on the morning of Sunday, October 15th. Between Sunday morning and late Tuesday, the islands were hit by more than 60 aftershocks, the biggest being near 4.0. The governor has issued a disaster declaration, and the state has been designated a federal disaster area. The following report summarizes the status of affected parks as of Tuesday afternoon: Haleakalā National Park (Maui, Hawai'i) - The park experienced severe weather on Monday night, resulting in landslides that closed the summit road on Haleakalā. The debris has since been cleared and the road has reopened. No further impacts from Sunday's earthquake have been reported. The park remains open.
Cumulative effects of the 6.7 earthquake of October 15th and heavy rains on the 17th and 18th led to road closures on either side of the Kipululu area of Haleakala National Park. On October 22nd, the park closed the entire area to visitors. The closure includes the visitor center, campground, the pools at `Ohe`o gulch, and all trails. The closure will continue until visitors and staff can access the park safely. FEMA inspectors declared that the Paihi Bridge and numerous rock outcroppings along the highway on either side of the park's boundary could collapse at any moment. The Hana Highway is closed at mile marker 45.5, approximately seven miles southwest of Hana town and three miles from the Kipahulu visitor center. The south road (Highway 31) is also closed at mile marker 16 just past the Ulupalakua store. Due to the county and state closure of these roads, there is no safe access to the Kipahulu area. Kipahulu staff are preparing to move into a temporary information station next to the Hana Post Office until further notice. [Dominic Cardea, Chief of Interpretation]
The park continues to recover from the impacts of the 6.7 earthquake that shook the Hawaiian islands on October 15th. Aftershocks are still occurring, including a 5.0 quake on Thanksgiving Day. The county road on the north side of Maui to the Kipahulu area is expected to reopen this Friday following the installation of a temporary bridge. The southern approach to the Kaupo Gap portion of the park will remain closed, however, until a rockslide there can be removed. Work is set to begin in mid-December. The Ka'apahu unit will remain closed until further notice due to huge slabs of fractured rock hanging precariously over the roadway in the same location where ranger Suzi Roberts was killed by a rockslide in September, 2004. The park has been partnering with a number of organizations, including FEMA, the Corps of Engineers, the Red Cross and local and state organizations, to bring relief to the landlocked communities of east Maui (including park employees). These operations include food and water drops and the provision of emergency support. Park staff have provided transportation and support to fire and police department crews unable to get equipment and vehicles to the area. A landing zone has been established in the park to provide the Hawaii Air National Guard with a place to bring in supplies and relief workers. [Submitted by Mark Tanaka-Sanders, Acting Superintendent]
Intense, caustic smoke from a fire on neighboring state land forced a closure of Haleakala National Park's summit visitor center on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. (local time). Wind shifts funneled the smoke column from the Polipoli State Park fire up the ridge of Haleakala and over the summit, completely enveloping the backcountry and crater wilderness. Visibility dropped to less than 100 feet. The closure was made to assure the long-term safety and health of both staff and visitors. The Headquarters Visitor Center at 7,000 feet remains open. Ranger programs and demonstrations have been moved to the headquarters area and Hosmer Grove. The summit area and backcountry remain open to the public, but the park is recommending that visitors not go beyond headquarters. [Dominic Cardea, Chief of Interpretation]
Intense, caustic smoke from a fire on neighboring state land forced a closure of Haleakala National Park's summit visitor center last Thursday morning. Wind shifts had funneled the smoke column from the Polipoli State Park fire up the ridge of Haleakala and over the summit, completely enveloping the backcountry and crater wilderness. On Friday, strong trade winds blew the smoke away from the park, permitting the reopening of the visitor center. All services are now back to normal. [Dominic Cardea, Chief of Interpretation]
Park dispatch received a call just after 7 a.m. on March 15th reporting a seriously injured bike rider on Crater Road at the 8,500-foot level. Rangers responded and were on scene in ten minutes. A 44-year-old female rider with a commercially led bicycle tour made it through the apex of a turn, but then crossed the center line and crashed into rocks. Tour leaders immediately called for assistance and began first aid. Rangers assessed the patient, determined that her injuries were serious, and called for an ambulance. She sustained major head trauma in the accident even though she was wearing a helmet. Ambulance personnel subsequently called for an air evacuation, and a helicopter landed at Hosmer Grove at the 7,000-foot level. The woman was driven there, loaded on board and flown to a hospital. Her condition was not known at the time of the report. The investigation continues. [Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer]
Rangers and park staff dealt with two bike accident with serious injuries last week. The first incident occurred on Wednesday, May 23rd, and involved a tour leader for a bike company who'd ridden the park road "hundreds of times." He was looking over his shoulder at the group he was leading when he failed to make a turn at the 8,500-foot level and plummeted over a 12-foot cliff, landing in a field of sharp lava boulders. He sustained severe leg and hip injuries and head lacerations. Many members of the park staff assisted with traffic control and extricating the man from the gorge. He was flown by helicopter to an area hospital. Six days later, rangers responded to another bicycling accident. A 13-year-old boy lost control of his bike, hit road curbing, and landed in rocks. He sustained a deep cut on his knee and minor bruising and lacerations on his side. An ambulance was dispatched, but was turned back since the injuries were not life threatening. [Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer]
Rangers discovered a body on a rock outcrop 500 feet below Leleiwi overlook at the crater rim at 8,800 feet on June 27th. Firefighters from Maui Fire Department's Rescue 10 from Kahului responded and rappeled down an extremely steep scree slope to recover the body. MFD's Air-One helicopter then short-hauled the body to the overlook. Positive identification and cause of death are pending completion of an autopsy. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim is a 46-year-old man from New York, whose abandoned rental car was towed from the overlook the day before the body was found. Foul play is not suspected. Ranger Mike Ing is IC. [Mike Ing]
Haleakala rangers and medics responded to a report of a motor vehicle off the road with possible fatalities just after 4:00 p.m. last Thursday afternoon. A four-door sedan was found 15 feet down in a gulch near mile 13 on Crater Road. The seat-belted driver of the vehicle and sole survivor of the accident was 60-year-old B.O. of Sceaux, France. He was short-hauled by a Maui Fire Department helicopter to a landing zone at Hosmer Grove, where an ambulance picked him up and took him to a hospital. Although he sustained serious injuries, he was found conscious and had extricated himself from the vehicle by the time rangers reached the site of the accident. The other three occupants were declared dead at the scene by park medics. A.V., 58, was the seat-belted front seat passenger and the spouse of the driver. Back seat passengers were not seat-belted and were identified as 65-year-old R.A. from Paris, France, and 49-year-old P.C., also from Paris. P.C. is survived by his wife and two children, who were in a separate vehicle. It's estimated that the accident occurred between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m., but there were no witnesses. The occupants of the vehicle were part of a larger tour group from France. The vehicle was headed down from the summit and interviews indicate that the driver fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the road. The vehicle left the roadway, went airborne across a gulch for 40 feet, struck its far side, then rolled back downward approximately 15 feet to the bottom of the gulch. Significant damage to the front end of the vehicle and the distance it was airborne indicate that the vehicle was traveling at a rate higher than the speed limit. Weather was not a factor in the accident. [Sharon Ringsven, Public Information Officer]
A 65-year-old Ohio woman who was bicycling down the mountain as part of a Maui Mountain Cruisers tour group evidently lost control of her bike, crossed into the oncoming lane, and was hit by a van from another tour group. Both the bike and woman came to rest underneath the van and trailer. The accident occurred on a hairpin curve about 50 yards above park headquarters and was observed by a number of visitors in the headquarters area. The emergency response was immediate. Rangers responded with life support equipment and found a physician from another tour treating her when they arrived. The rangers established an airway, administered oxygen, and began CPR. They sustained it until an AMR ambulance arrived and paramedics took over. Following consultation with a doctor, they eventually suspended resuscitation efforts and pronounced her dead at the scene. Witnesses and family members were cared for in the park and interviewed. A chaplain familiar with critical incident stress helped everyone involved. An investigation is ongoing. [Mark Tanaka-Sanders, Chief Ranger; Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer]
On the afternoon of Saturday, October 6th, rangers received a report of a missing swimmer in a closed section of a river above Makahiku Falls in Kipahulu. Searches of the river began immediately with the assistance of the Coast Guard and local emergency service organizations, but proved completely fruitless and were suspended on Sunday afternoon. E.P., 27, hiked up to a deep pool above the falls with two companions to do some jumping in the water even through the Kipahulu area has been under a month-long closure due to heavy rains and swift currents. Upon arrival, they talked about the high and swift water and determined that it was too dangerous to enter. When E.P.'s companions turned around to return, they heard a splash behind them. E.P. had either decided to jump in anyhow or slipped and fell into the water. He did not reappear. Investigation also revealed that rangers had talked to E.P. early on Saturday morning and had emphasized that the stream was closed due to high water. Regular patrols of the area will continue and divers will look for E.P. once the river level drops. [Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer]
On the afternoon of Saturday, October 6th, rangers received a report of a missing swimmer in a closed section of a river above Makahiku Falls in Kipahulu. A search of the river began immediately with the assistance of the Coast Guard and local emergency service organizations, but proved completely fruitless and was suspended on Sunday afternoon. E.P., 27, hiked up to a deep pool above the falls with two companions to do some jumping in the water even though the Kipahulu area has been under a month-long closure due to high water and rangers had contacted him that morning and emphasized that the area was closed. When E.P.'s companions turned around to return, they heard a splash behind them. E.P. had either decided to jump in anyhow or slipped and fell 40 feet into the water. By Thursday morning, the river had receded enough to make it possible for ground crews to resume the search for him. His body was found in the pool where he'd disappeared. Alcohol was likely a contributing factor. [Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer] HYPERLINK "http://starbulletin.com/2007/10/12/news/story09.html"
The park continues to recover from the impacts of the 6.7 earthquake that shook the Hawaiian islands on October 15th. Aftershocks are still occurring, including a 5.0 quake on Thanksgiving Day. The county road on the north side of Maui to the Kipahulu area is expected to reopen this Friday following the installation of a temporary bridge. The southern approach to the Kaupo Gap portion of the park will remain closed, however, until a rockslide there can be removed. Work is set to begin in mid-December. The Ka'apahu unit will remain closed until further notice due to huge slabs of fractured rock hanging precariously over the roadway in the same location where ranger Suzi Roberts was killed by a rockslide in September, 2004. The park has been partnering with a number of organizations, including FEMA, the Corps of Engineers, the Red Cross and local and state organizations, to bring relief to the landlocked communities of east Maui (including park employees). These operations include food and water drops and the provision of emergency support. Park staff have provided transportation and support to fire and police department crews unable to get equipment and vehicles to the area. A landing zone has been established in the park to provide the Hawaii Air National Guard with a place to bring in supplies and relief workers. [Submitted by Mark Tanaka-Sanders, Acting Superintendent]
A strong storm passing to the north of the Hawaiian Islands yesterday brought gale force winds, high surf and flash floods. Winds were clocked at from 40 to 80 mph (with higher gusts) and waves reached heights of 18 to 22 feet on north shores. Parks throughout the islands reported associated problems. Here's how they stood as of yesterday morning (local time): Halekala - The park was closed on both sides of the island. A foot of rain fell overnight. The road to the summit was closed at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. The ranger closing the road reported winds of 80 to 100 mph and cinder pelting his patrol car. Upper parts of Maui are without power. Widespread tree damage has been reported. [Karen Newton, with reports from Hawaiian parks]
A strong storm passing to the north of the Hawaiian Islands this week brought gale force winds, high surf and heavy rain to parks throughout the islands. A current status report follows: Halekala - The summit area remained closed yesterday for the second day in a row. The park road has been closed at the Hosmer Grove junction since about 4 a.m. on Wednesday. On Wednesday morning, Haleakala Observatories reported sustained winds around 80 mph with gust around 100 mph. Part of the observatory roof was lost, which usually doesn't happen until winds exceed 125 mph - and that hasn't occurred since before 1980. The park has been without power since before sunrise on Wednesday and continues to be without phone service. Inclement weather conditions in the park continued yesterday, with rain and sustained winds around 30 mph. The park has received significant rainfall since the storm began. Park road crews worked yesterday to remove rocks, boulders and other debris on the roadway. It's not known when the summit will reopen, but the park may reopen today if conditions improve. [Sharon Ringsven, HALE, and Karen Newton, PWRO, with reports from Hawaiian parks]
Parks throughout the Hawaiian Islands have provided current reports on their status following last week's severe storm: Haleakala - Summit Visitor Center remains closed due to water damage to the building. All backcountry trails are closed until further notice. The Hosmer Grove area is closed. The phone system is down and rangers are using their cell phones to contact dispatch. Power is out and the park is using generators for some buildings, including the entrance station, the visitor center at headquarters, and the residential area. The Kipahulu District is open, but the streams at Oheo Gulch are closed due to high water. [Teri Murphy, Manager, Pacific Area Communications Center]
The winter storm that hit the Hawaiian parks last week forced closures and caused damage in the park's summit area. Power and phones were finally restored around noon on Tuesday after six days without either service. The Summit Visitor Center and restrooms had been closed due to both the power failure and water damage. Wind gusts of 80 mph tore roofing off of the summit observation building, and large amounts of rain flooded the Sliding Sands Trail and left the pathway destroyed. The trail will remain closed due to safety concerns. Crews are assessing wilderness cabins for damage. Permits are being issued into the wilderness for Holua Cabin only. Backpackers can enter the wilderness via the Supply Trail by Hosmer Grove. Hosmer Grove Campground and Nature Trail are open. Campers are advised to check in at the visitor center for weather updates. All visitor facilities were open as of Wednesday. Additional information can be obtained by calling the main park line at 808-572-4400. [Dominic Cardea, Public Affairs Officer]
On Monday, May 25th, long-time Maui resident E.W., 65, was killed in an accident on the Halemau'u Trail. E.W. and his horse fell approximately 100 feet from the switchbacked trail while en route to a backcountry cabin. E.W.'s horse was also killed in the fall. Visitors called 911 after members of E.W.'s party saw him lying unresponsive on a small ledge. Backcountry rangers on patrol were diverted to the area and others hiked in from the frontcountry. Maui Fire Department's Air Rescue One and Engine 13 also responded, but firefighters were unable to reach the victim by helicopter due to the weather. One visitor from the party was flown out of the backcountry after she hurt her ankle trying to reach E.W.. Rangers Dave Hahn and Peter Reitchel were able to traverse steep scree slopes and several cliff faces and confirm that E.W. was dead. They were unable to recover the body that day due to its location and the onset of darkness. Rangers remained overnight in the area and assisted Maui Fire Department with the recovery of E.W. at first light the next day. Firefighters reached the body via helicopter short haul and were able to extract E.W. and several of his personal effects. [Bruce Applin, Chief Ranger]
Parks in the Hawaiian Islands are preparing for the impacts of Tropical Storm Felicia. As of yesterday afternoon, Felicia's center was located about 235 miles east-northeast of Hawai'i Island. The storm continues to move westward toward Hawaii at 12 mph. On this track, the center of Felicia is expected to reach the islands sometime today. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the islands of Maui (site of Haleakala National Park), Kaho'olawe, Lana'i, Moloka'i (site of Kalaupapa National Historical Park), and O'ahu (site of World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument). Felicia packs maximum sustained winds near 45 mph with higher gusts. A large ocean swell generated by Felicia is already affecting coastlines across the state. Two reports have been received on preparations: Haleakala NP - Hosmer Grove will be closed to all uses, including camping. All beach access points in Kipahulu will be closed, as will to all trails and backcountry. Park staff will continue to monitor the situation throughout the course of the event. If conditions necessitate, the park may put more closures into effect. Park management advises that the safest action would be for visitors to come the park after the storm passes Regardless of the intensity of Felicia when it reaches the Hawaiian Islands, locally heavy rainfall is still expected to occur and flash flooding remains a possibility. [Mardie Lane, HAVO, and Naaman Horn, HALE]
On October 20th, Maui PD notified the park that a murder had taken place in the Kaupo area two days before and that the suspect, a 39-year-old "survivalist", was still on the loose. The area where the homicide took place is approximately two miles from the park's boundary and is surrounded on three sides by park land. Rangers immediately launched a helicopter and two law enforcement rangers checked the five cabins in the crater area to make sure the fugitive was not using them. Backcountry visitors were also interviewed, park crews evacuated, and trails closed. The National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch (ISB) provided a special agent to assist with interagency liaison. SA Neil Akana was also able to obtain the assistance of a DEA helicopter for the search, which also involved Maui PD, Honolulu PD, and NPS units. Ranger Peter Reitchel spent three days on board the DEA helicopter coordinating ground search operations and acting as an airborne medic. Maui PD suspended its search on Friday, October 23rd. Two Hawaii Volcanoes rangers and an ISB agent flew to Maui the following week and assisted rangers with checking and clearing the 14 remote staff camps the park maintains. A helicopter was used to insert the teams, who then cleared each camp and documented its current condition in order to better detect if they were being used by the fugitive for shelter, food or water. Haleakala resource management staff acted as helicopter managers and airborne observers. On November 7th, in response to a visitor report, an overnight surveillance operation was conducted in the park's backcountry. Nothing suspicious was observed. The park's backcountry is currently open, but staff and visitors are being reminded to remain vigilant. [Bruce Applin, Chief Ranger]
On February 16th, protection ranger James Mar contacted a group of seven visitors at the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakala for illegal camping and alcohol violations. During the contact, Mar learned that a member of the group, a 21-year-old Maui resident, had state warrants out against him. When Mar attempted to arrest him, he fled on foot into a closed area. Mar chased the man by vehicle and foot and was able to intercept him as he tried to cross a road. Mar pointed his taser at the man, which proved instrumental in effecting the arrest. The man was booked into the Maui Police Department jail on federal charges (interference and the camping and alcohol violations) as well as the state warrants. [Bruce M. Applin, Chief Ranger]
On February 25th, a park concessioner reported that one of his horseback riding clients, a 47-year-old woman from Alaska, was experiencing acute nausea, vomiting and dizziness and could not continue riding. Rangers Barry Lewis and Howard Adams responded on horseback and stabilized the woman, who was more than two miles from the trailhead at an elevation of more than 8,000 feet. A helicopter was not available, so ranger/IC David Hahn requested the assistance of additional rangers and firefighters form Maui Fire Department's Engine 13 for a carryout. The combined ranger/firefighter team carried her a mile and a half, at night over rocky terrain with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. She was then transferred to a county ambulance and transported to the hospital. [Bruce M. Applin, Chief Ranger]
Recent and continuing severe weather has caused hazards which have forced park staff to temporarily close access to portions of the park. Early yesterday morning, a large boulder fell and slid onto the roadway of Crater Road just beyond the 15 mile marker, effectively closing the road to traffic. Park staff and sunrise visitors at the summit above the slide were prevented from descending down Crater Road until the debris was cleared around 8:30 a.m. and traffic could be safely allowed through the area. Additional geologic instability in the same area continued to pose unacceptable risks, which forced park staff to re-close Crater Road due to the high rock slide hazard. All visitor traffic (including commercial use traffic) is currently being halted at the headquarters visitor center. Campers at Hosmer Grove campground were encouraged to evacuate the campground in response to local flood warnings for adjacent streams and storm drain swales. Severe weather reported by park staff working in the summit valley also prompted the superintendent to temporarily close the backcountry. A number of trails and the park's popular backcountry cabins are affected by the temporary closure. At the time of the report yesterday evening, the National Weather Service had issued multiple hazardous weather advisories affecting the park, including flashflood warnings, flashflood watches and flood advisories. No damage or injuries have been reported or recorded within the park. Staff are continuing to monitor conditions. [Navnit Singh, Chief of Interpretation and Education]
The 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan last Friday - the fifth largest quake in the world since 1900 and nearly 8,000 times stronger than the one that recently devastated Christchurch, New Zealand - produced a tsunami that crossed the open and came up on the shores of park beaches from Guam to the West Coast. No visitor or employee injuries have been reported. The following summarizes reports submitted from all affected areas: Haleakala - The Kipahulu area closed during the event. There's no report yet of any damage. [Dean Ross, Deputy Chief of Emergency Services, WASO; Karen Gatewood, Acting Regional Chief Ranger, PWRO; Steve Chaney, Superintendent, REDW; Kim Coast, Acting Chief Ranger, GOGA; John Quinley, Public Affairs, ARO]
A search was begun for a lost day hiker late last Sunday when he failed to meet a family member at Keonehe'ehe'e trailhead as planned. The day hiker arranged to be dropped off by a family member at the Halemau'u trailhead (elevation 7,990 feet) around midday on Sunday. He apparently planned to descend Halemau'u Trail into the crater and then ascend via the Keonehe'ehe'e (Sliding Sands) Trail five hours later - a distance exceeding 11 miles and 4,000 feet total elevation change. He was poorly prepared and did not possess a trail map. After the family member reporting the missing hiker, Maui Fire Department conducted a hasty search of the Halemau'u trailhead, but suspended the search when it became too dark. Search and rescue operations resumed at first light on Monday. Despite inadequate preparation, water, and clothing, he'd found his own way out of the crater overnight through Kaupo Gap and apparently hitchhiked back to Kahului. He was found to be in relatively good condition. [Navnit Singh, Public Affairs Officer]
On Friday, June 21st, the park coordinated the recovery of a motor vehicle that had been wrecked in an accident in April. A couple from North Carolina was visiting the park on April 23rd when the driver made and unplanned turn and the car went off the road, coming to rest about 300 feet below the roadway down the side of a gully, where it rolled once before coming to rest on its side. Both husband and wife were able to get out by themselves and called 911, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation. They were short-hauled out to a waiting medevac helicopter and ambulance. Due to its location at the bottom of a steep-sided gully and in designated critical habitat, it was decided to pursue an aerial recovery versus dragging the vehicle back up the side. The owner of the vehicle, Enterprise RAC, obtained a special use permit, hired a contract Bell UH-1 helicopter, and worked with the park to remove the vehicle. The park provided traffic control, resource advising, and monitoring. The helicopter company rigged the vehicle for lifting and used a long line to lift the vehicle out of the gully and bring it to a landing zone. A contracted wrecker removed the vehicle from the park. Impacts to park resources and visitors were minimal. [James Mar, Chief Ranger]
On Tuesday, August 19th, two paragliders were apprehended in the Summit District of Haleakala National Park. A HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paragliding" paraglider had been seen over the crater by both employees and visitors around 10:30 a.m. that morning. Shortly thereafter, additional reports were received of a second paraglider attempting to launch from critical species habitat inside the crater rim. Rangers from both the Summit and Kipahulu Districts responded and began surveillance of the two individuals. The first paraglider, who had since landed in critical species habitat, was hiking out; the second, who had abandoned liftoff attempts, gathered his equipment and hiked back to the parking area. After an hour of surveillance, both men were intercepted at their vehicle as they were loading their equipment. The park activated a multi-disciplinary team to begin assessment of any environmental and resource damages. The two men, both from Italy, expressed surprise that they were in violation of the law. All equipment associated with the incident was seized as evidence, including two handheld radios, two Go-Pro cameras, and a large amount of paragliding gear and instruments. After assessments were completed, it was determined the men had been extremely lucky in not causing damage to endangered species of birds and plants in the areas they disturbed. Violation notices were issued for 36 CFR infractions, including illegal air delivery, preservation of natural resources, and off trail travel. [James P. Mar, Chief Ranger]
On April 18th, a federal jury found 44-year-old M.B. guilty of two counts of assault while camping at Haleakala National Park. M.B. was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault on his spouse by strangulation. He will be sentenced in August and faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. The incident occurred at Hosmer Grove Campground last October. M.B. threatened his wife with a large kitchen knife while pinning her to the ground by holding his forearm against her throat. Two visitors saw the assault and called 911. A park ranger took M.B. into custody with help from two Maui Police Department officers. The investigation was led by the National Park Service, with assistance from the FBI and Maui Police Department. Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Visitor G.M., 34, was killed after being struck in the head by a large rock while hiking in the park on Saturday, May 5th. G.M. had hiked to a waterfall Saturday with three companions — a man and two women. They were sitting by a waterfall near Waimoku Falls off the main Pipiwai Trai when G.M. was struck by the falling rock. The other man called emergency dispatchers while the two women stayed with G.M.. At 6:50 p.m., Hana firefighters arrived and drove with the caller to a service road. then began the hike toward G.M. near the top of the Pipiwai Trail. On the way up, they met the two women hiking down the trail, who said G.M. had suffered head trauma, was not breathing and did not have a pulse despite their CPR efforts. They also said rocks had continued to fall after the initial rock struck G.M.. Responders determined it was unsafe to retrieve G.M. at night, so crews escorted the three hikers back to the park visitor center. Firefighters and rangers found G.M.'s body at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the bottom of a 200-foot waterfall. His body was airlifted out with the fire department's Air-1 helicopter to a landing zone near the park's visitor center. Source/full story: Fort Wayne News Sentinel.
On Monday, June 25th, rangers and Maui PD officers recovered rare Haleakalā silversword plants or "ahinahina" that had been removed by a visitor from Haleakalā's summit. A park visitor witnessed an individual removing two "keiki" (juvenile) silversword plants from the ground earlier in the day and placing them in her clothing before leaving the area in a vehicle. The witness took a picture of the vehicle and immediately notified park staff, who then notified rangers. They were able to locate the woman in Paia Town about an hour later. She still had the plants in her possession. Charges are pending against her and against the driver of the vehicle. Park biologists will attempt to replant the recovered silverswords. The Haleakalā silversword (Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. macrocephalum) is federally listed as threatened and found only on the slopes of Haleakalā at altitudes above 6,900 feet. Source: MauiNow.
A woman reported being assaulted at Haleakala Crater on Sunday, July 15th. At the time of the report (July 16th), rangers were actively searching the entire crater for the man with the assistance of the Maui Police Department and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The woman's assailant is described as a five-foot, nine-inch tall male in his mid- to late 30s, wearing black pants and a black T-shirt. Visitor access to the crater from the summit and Kipahulu districts was closed through Wednesday afternoon. No cabin or backcountry camping permits will be issued until further notice. Visitors may still access all frontcountry areas of the summit and Kipahulu districts, including the Pipiwai Trail. Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser.
On August 25th, G.M., 34, a visitor from Indiana, was killed by a large rock that fell and struck his head while hiking in the park near Waimoku Falls. G.M. had hiked to a waterfall Saturday with three friends — a man and two women. They were sitting by a waterfall near Waimoku Falls off the main Pipiwai Trai when G.M. was struck by the falling rock. The other man in the group called emergency dispatch and reported the incident. Local firefighters soon arrived and drove with him to a service road, then hiked up toward G.M. on the Pipiwai Trail. On the way up, they met the two women hiking down the trail; they said that G.M. had suffered head trauma, was not breathing and did not have a pulse despite their CPR efforts. They also said rocks had continued to fall after the initial rock struck G.M. Responders determined it was unsafe to retrieve G.M. at night so crews escorted the three hikers back to the park visitor center and prepared to recover his body the next morning. Firefighters and rangers found G.M.'s body at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the bottom of a 200-foot waterfall. His body was airlifted out with the fire department's Air-1 helicopter to a landing zone near the park's visitor center. Firefighters and police officers in Hana, and a rescue crew from Kahului assisted Haleakala National Park rangers in the incident. Source: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.
A man was tased and taken into federal custody on October 24th following an incident in the park M.G. entered the park without paying the fee, then refused to obey orders from park rangers and threatened them. At one point, he picked up a lava rock and refused to put it down when ordered to do so by rangers. The rangers tased M.G., bringing him to the ground, but he held onto the rock and struggled with them as they tried to arrest him. He was warned he would be tased a second time if he didn't cooperate; when he continued to resist, the ranger fired his taser a second time. He was then taken into custody. M.G. is accused of interfering with an agency function, violating a lawful order, and nonpayment of recreational fees. He made his initial appearance in court and the next day and was to appear at a detention hearing last week. Source: Hawaii News Now.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Haleakala NP — On October 18, 2017, M.B. threatened his wife with a large kitchen knife while pinning her to the ground by holding his forearm against her throat. Two witnesses called 911 and he was arrested by rangers and local officers. Last week, M.B. was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault on his spouse by strangulation and sentenced to 41 months in prison. Following his incarceration, M.B. will be on supervised release for three years. Source: KHON News.
Below are short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Haleakala NP — The Pools of 'Ohe'o in the park's Kīpahulu District reopened on December 6th. The pools were closed on January 3, 2017, when a rockslide resulted in a minor injury to a park visitor. Source: Haleakala NP.
The park was closed on Monday due to impassable snow drifts and ice on the road to the summit, plus fallen trees and rocks that have created an "extremely hazardous" situation. There are also power outages throughout the summit district. Visitors are being encouraged to enjoy the view from down-country and not try to enter the park. Rangers are enforcing the closure at the summit district entrance at 6,500 feet. At least six inches to a foot of snow fell at Haleakala summit on Saturday night and into Sunday. A park ranger who reached the summit reported seeing four-foot drifts. Meanwhile, powerful gusts wreaked havoc across the state on Sunday, resulting in blown roofs, downed trees and power outages. High surf on the north and west sides of Oahu caused water to wash over roads. Winds were clocked at 191 mph on top of Mauna Kea at on Sunday afternoon. Source: Nina Wu, Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
On December 5, the Summit and Kīpahulu Districts of the park were closed due to severe weather, including many inches of snow on the summit. Both districts remained closed until December 7. Source: Haleakalā National Park
On December 7, NPS rangers and Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers conducted a traffic safety checkpoint, just south of the City of Tupelo. The area has had many fatal accidents in the early morning, often involving unlicensed drivers. Over 1,000 vehicles were screened in a five-hour period, resulting in 40 citations, 10 arrests, 24 towed vehicles, and 11 warnings. Six of the arrests were for driving under the influence, one was for an out-of-state felony warrant, and three were associated with an ongoing criminal investigation. District Ranger John Hearne said they expect to conduct more checkpoints and patrol activity after the number of infractions they observed. Source: Natchez Trace Parkway
On January 7, a nēnē (an endangered Hawaiian goose) was struck by a vehicle. A previous nēnē fatality due to vehicle collision took place on December 23. Visitors have been urged to slow down to protect the species. Source: National Parks Traveler
A visitor returned three rocks back to the park via mail with a letter stating, "I dearly apologize for taking these off of Native land. I wanted to return them to where they belong." The park posted about the incident on its social media, encouraging people to leave things where they find them. Source: Sacramento Bee
On the night of February 3, one Milo tree was cut down and another tree had limbs chopped off at Lelekea Beach in the the Kῑpahulu District. The park is seeking any information the public may have about this illegal poaching in the park. Source: Haleakalā National Park
On May 2, a 61-year old was reported missing by family after failing to return from a morning jog. The individual was last seen at Kīpahulu Valley farm, and was reportedly going jogging in the Pīpīwai Trails area of the park. A search began that evening and, as of May 2, is ongoing. Source: Maui Now
A 61-year-old who went missing after reportedly going for a jog in the Pipiwai trails area on May 1 remains missing. A severe storm hit that morning, with several "serious and dangerous flash flood events." The individual was spotted on the park's security cameras the day they went missing. Family members and volunteers continue to search for the individual. Source: Maui News, KHON2
On July 21, a group with three adults and two children at the Kapalaoa Cabin in Haleakalā Crater called for a rescue. They were suffering from various stages of hypothermia and dehydration. Rangers arrived on scene and provided the group with warm blankets, water, and food. One of the adults was unable to walk out of the crater and was carried three miles to the trailhead by NPS staff, where they received medical attention. Source: Haleakalā National Park September 7, 2022 On September 7, a group of four family members made a call to report a medical emergency happening to a nine-year-old at the Paliku Cabin, which is located 9.3 miles from the trailhead. An NPS fire helicopter was able to transport all four to a landing zone at Hosmer Grove, and the individual was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center. Source: Maui News
On December 18, the park closed the Summit District due to severe weather that was unsafe for vehicles and visitors. The Summit District reopened on December 21. However, as of December 24, wilderness cabin and tent camping both remain closed. The park reported that communication infrastructure was damaged by the storm, and that visitors must exercise extra caution due to delayed emergency response. Source: Haleakalā National Park (12/18, 12/21)
On January 17, a 38-year-old took an "extreme fall" while hiking the Halemau'u trail. NPS staff and local fire staff, including a helicopter, responded. They were able to locate and transport the patient to Hosmer Grove, where paramedics and park EMTs provided additional treatment and then transported the individual to Maui Memorial Medical Center via Maui Medevac. Source: The Maui News February 8, 2023 On January 28, the park closed its visitor center due to flash flooding conditions in the region. The summit and Kīpahulu area remained open. As of February 6, it had not yet reopened. Source: Haleakalā National Park, Beat of Hawaii February 8, 2023 On January 29, about 700 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from the Maui Space Surveillance Complex at the summit of Haleakalā. The U.S. Space Force stated, "Due to a mechanical issue, a diesel fuel pump for an on-site backup generator failed to shut off." The spill was discovered by maintenance personnel on the morning of January 30. A group of spill experts from the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center are assessing the area for remediation. The Space Force notified the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health of the spill. Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser February 22, 2023 On February 9, the park closed the Hosmer Grove Campground and the nature trail located in the Summit District due to high winds causing tree hazards. The campground was reopened after February 11. Source: Haleakalā National Park On February 17, the park closed the Kīpahulu District due to a risk of "extreme flash flooding." It was reopened on February 18. Source: Haleakalā National Park (2/16, 2/18) February 22, 2023 In a press conference on February 6, the U.S. Space Force explained the cause of the 700-gallon diesel fuel spill on the summit of Haleakalā on January 29 and apologized for the incident. Indo-Pacific Commander Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir explained that a power surge damaged a float that would normally stop excess pumping and sound an alarm about tank overflow. "Words cannot describe the tremendous remorse that I and the rest of the team here at the summit have experienced over the past week. We have a solemn responsibility to protect this sacred ground upon which we have the privilege to operate, and it is a privilege, not a right. You expect more from us, and last week, we let you down, and for that I am truly sorry." The U.S. Space Force will remediate 200 cubic yards around the generator, analyze contamination, and then determine next steps. They have stated they will do an "above and beyond" clean-up of the area. Source: The Maui News
On August 8, the park closed the Summit District due to blocked road access, resulting from nearby wildfires and high winds. The Hosmer Grove Campground, wilderness cabins, and wilderness tent camping were also closed on August 8. The park will reopen when conditions improve. Source: Haleakalā National Park
On January 12, the Summit District and Hosmer Grove Campground closed. They reopened late in the day. Source: National Parks Traveler, Haleakalā National Park
On February 19, a commercial helicopter made a hard landing in the Kīpahulu area of the park. Two people were on board. Neither was injured in the landing, and both declined being taken to the hospital. The helicopter was unable to take back off. Source: KITV/Island News
On July 10, the Crater Road Fire started around mile markers eight, nine, and ten on the Haleakalā Highway. As of July 22, it had burned about 574 acres and was 80% contained. The fire is adjacent to the park, and the park remains closed. Source: The Maui News, KITV
On July 10, the Crater Road Fire started around mile markers eight, nine, and ten on the Haleakalā Highway. As of August 4, it had burned about 574 acres and was 100% contained. The fire was adjacent to the park, and the park's summit district closed for several weeks for firefighting. Crater Road reopened to traffic on August 3. Source: The Maui News, KITV, Hawaii News Now | |