Isle Royale |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2024. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Friday, December 8, 1989 At about 2:30 a.m. on December 4th, the 180-foot Coast Guard Cutter Mesquite ran aground on a submerged shoal near Manitou Island off Keweenaw Point in Lake Superior, about 50 miles southeast of Isle Royale. The Mesquite was carrying between 20,000 and 30,000 gallons of #2 diesel fuel, and the potential for a serious spill was immediately apparent. The DOI office in Chicago notified Midwest Region of the spill on the morning of the 4th, and region in turn notified Apostle Islands, Isle Royale, Pictured Rocks and Grand Portage. During the morning, the Coast Guard flew in a strike team to Houghton, Michigan, where they and their equipment were picked up by the 226-foot Canadian Coast Guard Cutter Samuel Risley. At the U.S. Coast Guard's request and with the park's approval, the Risley had already picked up Isle Royale's work barge and two Isle Royale personnel. All were taken to the scene of the incident. The USCG also requested Isle Royale's fuel barge, as they had been unable to find any other vessel in which to put the diesel fuel and contaminated fuel from the Mesquite. Although that barge was in storage for the winter, the park agreed to loan it to USCG under the condition that the Coast Guard break the ice to Isle Royale, bring the barge to Houghton and offload the approximately 25,000 gallons of gasoline it contained, then reload the gasoline and return the barge to the park after the Coast Guard finished using it. USCG agreed to these conditions and dispatched the 140-foot Anglican Princess, a private Canadian tug, to Isle Royale to pick up the fuel barge. The tug proved to be too large to enter the cove where the barge was docked, however, and severe cold weather made it impossible to launch a smaller work boat. The operation was therefore cancelled, and the Anglican Princess headed back to the Mesquite. Overflights of the cutter show that the nearby water is covered with a light sheen of oil about 50 by 100 yards in size. At the time of the report, Navy divers were on scene assisting in damage assessment, and predictions were that the vessel, which is about 500 yards from the shore and flooding, would release about 200 gallons of fuel a day into the lake if existing weather conditions continued. (Telefax report from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO).
The damage assessment of the Cutter Mesquite revealed that the ship was firmly aground fore and aft, but only lightly aground amidships. The ship's hull was fractured and the center fuel tank had ruptured into the engine room. It was also determined that the Mesquite was carrying 19,000 gallons of fuel, a lighter load then the initial estimate of 30,000 gallons. The oil sheen which was seen on the water near the ship on the 5th was not visible on the 6th. The Coast Guard Cutters Katmai Bay and Acacia arrived on scene on the 6th to support the crane barge borrowed from Isle Royale, but the shallow water and weather - winds of 25 to 35 knots with seas of 6 to 10 feet - made salvage operations impossible. A containment boom was finally deployed on the 7th, and the Coast Guard asked Isle Royale if it could employ the park's tug to position the barge near the Mesquite. Although the tug was winterized and in an iced-in harbor at Houghton, the Coast Guard said that it would send an ice breaker to open water for the tug and reimburse the park for all expenses. At last report, efforts were underway to get the tug to the Mesquite. Once the tug arrived and the barge was placed, the Coast Guard planned to begin transferring fuel off the Mesquite. (USCG reports telefaxed by John Townsend, RAD/WRO).
The park's tug, the J.E. Colombe, arrived at the scene of the grounding on the 8th, but attempts by the Colombe to get a barge close enough to the Mesquite to begin off-loading that ship's fuel proved fruitless due to high seas. The high seas also forced the tug to take shelter in a nearby harbor. Weather conditions improved by Monday, however, and the Colombe was finally able to get the barge in place. The Mesquite's fuel has since been removed, and the Coast Guard is now considering leaving the ship in place through the winter due to its list and the hazardous nature of salvage work under winter conditions. There have been no further indications of any serious spillage of oil on the lake's waters. The chairman of the House Merchant Marinez and Fisheries Committee's Coast Guard subcommittee has ordered that an investigation be initiated into the Mesquite's grounding. (Telefaxed reports from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO).
At 10:30 p.m. on September 2nd, rangers were called to the employee dorm at Rock Harbor to deal with several disorderly males. When they arrived, they discovered that three concessions employees had been drinking heavily and had done extensive damage to the dorm building. They had kicked in several doors, broken light fixtures and furniture, and entered another employee's room and pulled the water basin from the wall, which had caused flooding to the room and hallway. When the rangers arrived, the three men - T.S., 24, P.H., 24, and E.N., 18 - attempted to barricade themselves in a room. The rangers were able to enter, however and arrested the trio. During the struggle, the rangers were assaulted by two of the three men, but did not sustain any injuries. The three men were detained in the park overnight, then flown the next morning to the mainland, where they were incarcerated pending an appearance before the U.S. Magistrate. All three were charged with destruction of government property, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct; T.S. and P.H. were also charged with assault on a federal officer. (Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, via CompuServe message from Capt. J.J. McLaughlin, RAD/MWRO, 9/4).
D.S., a member of the park's trail crew, was injured on the 19th when a deer carrier with a 90-pound load got away from him and another trail crew member while coming down a steep incline and fell on top of D.S. He was flown from McCargo Cove, where the incident occurred, to Ely/Bloomington General Hospital by a Forest Service Beaver aircraft. He remained overnight in the hospital for observation. Later that same day, A.K., an employee of National Park Concessions, Inc., suffered what appeared to be a stroke. A.K. passed out while working; when he regained consciousness five to ten minutes later, he was unable to speak or move his extremities. He was evacuated to McKellor Hospital in Thunder Bay, Ontario, by the Ministry of Health's "Bandage III" Sikorsky 76 helicopter. A.K. was examined and later released. This is the fourth time this year that victims of illness or accidents in the park have been flown to Thunder Bay by "Bandage III." (Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, via CompuServe message from Capt. J.J. McLaughlin, RAD/MWRO, 9/20).
On the evening of the 23rd, a 24-foot boat with five people on board - four adults and a child - left the protected south side of the island and encountered 12- to 15-foot waves and strong winds between Rainbow Cove and Cumberland Point. The boat was blown around and eventually broke up. Despite poor communications, which hampered search efforts, all five members of the party were eventually located and brought to shore. Rangers were to hike in to the victims yesterday and lead them to Feldtmann Lake, where a Forest Service float plane was to evacuate them. (Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 9/24).
On November 24th, the Kinsmen Independent, a 650-foot grain freighter running empty to Thunder Bay, misread a navigation aid and ran hard aground near the Isle Royale light. Although the ship was carrying over 60,000 gallons of number six fuel oil for her engines, it appears that none of it leaked into Lake Superior. Damage was apparently confined to the ship's forward ballast tanks. The tugs Ivan Purvis from Thunder Bay and Anglican Lady from Sault-Sainte-Marie freed the ship just before 9:00 p.m. on the 25th. Following an inspection by Canadian Coast Guard personnel, the tugs took the Kinsmen Independent in tow and headed for Thunder Bay. Two U.S. Coast Guard cutters stood by during the operation. (John Krambrink, CR, APIS, via telefax from John Townsend, 11/26).
On July 18th, the park received notification that a visitor, J.S., was experiencing what appeared to be the bends. Responding rangers ascertained that J.S. had been having discomfort for about a day, and that the malady had progressed to a severe state. Transportation was arranged on the Canadian Ministry of Health's helicopter, Bandage One, which operates out of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The helicopter transported J.S. to a hyperbaric chamber at Marquette, Michigan. His present condition is not known. [Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, via telefax from John Townsend, RAD/MWRO, 7/23]
An explosion occurred on the 26-foot-long, steel-hulled cabin motorboat Pat- Ter-Lie just after 4 a.m. on July 3rd while it was docked for the night at Moskey Basin. On board at the time were the owner, A.W.J. of Nipigon, Ontario, his wife, and two other Canadians. Gas fumes stemming from a leak in the transom gas tank were presumably ignited by the pilot light of the on-board propane stove. Extensive damage was done to the interior of the boat by the explosion and the ensuing fire, but, miraculously, only one of the boat's occupants suffered minor burns. The fire was extinguished within minutes by occupants of another boat at the same dock who were traveling with the J.s. Without this quick action, the 40 remaining gallons of gasoline in the fuel tank, three five-gallon jerry cans of gasoline, three 20-pound canisters of propane, ten liters of kerosene and one gallon of white gas would probably have exploded. The boat was towed to Nipigon on July 4th for repairs. Violation notices were issued for having an illegal fire, unlawful display of fireworks, disturbing the peace, damaging government property, discharging petroleum products into the waters of Lake Superior, and incorrectly displaying a permit. [ISRO, 7/8]
About 500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into a swampy area behind the power house at Rock Harbor around 3 p.m. on July 17th. The spill was apparently caused by a valve that failed to work properly. Cleanup and containment efforts were begun immediately, and it was almost entirely cleaned up by 9:30 that evening. Crews were able to contain the spill within a small ditch and pump the spilled fuel and water into drums. The larger swamp area was not affected. The cleanup effort was to have concluded yesterday. [Stu Croll, CR, ISRO, 7/19]
On July 22nd, twenty-three year old K.E. of Owatana, Minnesota, went diving on the Emperor, a wreck located off the park's northeast shoreline, along with others diving from a charter vessel, The Royal Diver. When K.E. surfaced from the 130-foot dive, he became unconscious and his breathing and circulation stopped. A paramedic aboard the Royal Diver immediately began CPR and administered oxygen. Park rangers were notified by marine radio of the accident and arrived at the accident site at approximately about an hour later. Rangers continued advanced life support measures while transporting K.E. by boat to Passage Island for helicopter rescue transport to Thunder Bay, Canada via Bandage III, an emergency medical air rescue unit. K.E. was pronounced dead at the Passage Island helipad. The accident is being investigated by rangers. [CRO, ISRO, 7/25]
Seasonal ranger Dean Martinson was traveling by boat up the Rock Harbor channel at the northeast end of the park on the night of September 23rd when he saw flashing lights from the lakeshore trail. Upon investigation, he found that several visitors were seeking help for an ill hiker at Three Mile campground, several miles from the shore. Martinson hiked to the campground and found that F.G. of Mankato, Minnesota, was suffering from an acute abdomen and that his vital signs were deteriorating. Drug therapy was begun, and an air ambulance was summoned from St. Mary's hospital in Duluth. The helicopter picked F.G. up at 1:15 a.m. This was the first use of the St. Mary's service by the park, which only recently established a working partnership with the hospital - specifically because of the hospital's twin engine and night flying capability, crucial to the park because of Isle Royale's isolated location and distance from shore. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO]
On the evening of August 19th, the park received a marine telephone call from the Canadian Coast Guard reporting that a visitor at a wilderness campsite on an interior lake three miles from the park's closest boat dock had suffered a stroke and was unconscious and unresponsive. Six rangers traveled by boat to the dock; they sought assistance from visitors camped near the dock, and eleven of them - including three regional directors from the National Parks and Conservation Association - volunteered to hike in with the rangers. The rescue team reached the victim, 56-year-old R.H., shortly after 10 p.m. The 210-pound patient was stabilized and carried back to the dock. The grueling three-and-a-half hour carryout was complicated by darkness, heavy vegetation, rain, steep ground, and two-foot-deep mud in some stretches. R.H. was taken by park vessel on an hour-and-a-half voyage through rough seas to a helicopter landing zone on Mott Island, then flown by a Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Michigan. Doctors found a 75% blockage of R.H.'s carotid artery. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover. [Pete Armington, CR, ISRO]
In October, 1995, rangers learned that an illegal commercial SCUBA diving charter service was being operated in the park by K.H. of Minneapolis. District ranger Larry Kangas and seasonal ranger Rick Lee conducted an eight-month-long investigation into the illegal activity which culminated in the issuance of grand jury subpoenas for witnesses in the case last May. The park worked closely with the U.S. attorney in Marquette, Michigan, who recognized the precedent-setting nature of the case locally and accordingly provided significant assistance and support. On September 25th, K.H. pled guilty in district court to a charge of conducting a business in a national park without a permit (36 CFR 5.3) and was fined $2,050. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO]
On Wednesday, October 30th, the 110-foot passenger vessel "Grandpa Woo" was blown from her mooring in Grand Portage Bay, Minnesota, by extremely high west winds. The powerless vessel blew out into the open waters of Lake Superior. A freighter responded to the ship's distress call and took the "Grandpa Woo" under tow. As the two vessels were approaching Thunder Bay, Ontario, 18-foot seas caused the tow bridle to break. A tug boat from Thunder Bay was able to rescue the two crewmen from the drifting vessel, but heavy seas and icing precluded further efforts to tow the "Grandpa Woo" and the ship was left adrift. On October 31st, the ship came aground on the north shore of Passage Island. Winter weather and sea conditions have prevented on-site damage assessments of the vessel and park resources. Recovery and salvage plans are being developed. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO]
A tugboat from Canada returned to Passage Island on November 20th to attempt limited salvage work on the beached 110-foot passenger vessel "Grandpa Woo" and discovered that the ship had broken in half since it went aground on October 31st. The front half of the vessel is now lying on the bottom of Lake Superior in 30 feet of water; the stern section remains aground at the base of a shoreline cliff. The vessel's owner is applying for a Corps of Engineers permit to scuttle the vessel. Both fuel tanks breached, but Coast Guard personnel report no evidence of fuel or oil around the vessel or on the shoreline. Salvage options this season are limited by the lack of heavy lift salvage equipment and by winter conditions. The park is researching legal options regarding further salvage work next year. [Pete Armington, CR, ISRO]
On May 31st, eleven members of the A.D. party were camped at Chippewa Harbor on Lake Superior. Three adults and eight children in the party portaged their canoe three miles to Lake Ritchie in the interior of the park. After a day of fishing, the members of the group began preparing for the hike back to Chippewa. Without the knowledge of the adults, four younger boys struck off alone for the camp at about 6:30 p.m. One of them, J.D., 10, stopped to tie his shoe while the other boys continued on. J.D. then strayed from the trail and became lost n the thick forest. A boater camped at Chippewa reported the incident to park authorities via radio at 11 p.m. Five hasty teams were deployed during the night; they covered over 25 miles of trail, but failed to find him. As the second day's search was beginning around 9:30 the following morning, J.D. walked into his camp at Chippewa. He had spent over three hours wandering around in the bush that morning before he stumbled onto the trail. He was scared but uninjured. He and the other children received a "Hug-a-Tree" lecture from incident searchers. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 6/3]
On the evening of August 1st, the Coast Guard station in Hancock, Michigan, received a distress call from the 32-foot vessel "Sarah L." The captain reported that he'd lost both his engines, that he was adrift in Lake Superior, and that he had six passengers on board. He provided his position by latitude and longitude before radio contact was lost. The position was ten miles into Canadian waters and about 13 miles northeast of the Gull Islands, which sit on the park's boundary. Both the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard asked the park to search for the "Sarah L." The "Belle Isle" and "Beaver" navigated in three-foot seas to the last reported location and found the disabled boat about a mile-and-a-half away from that point around 9:30 p.m. The "Beaver" took the "Sarah L" under tow and brought the boat safely in to park headquarters on Mott Island. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 8/3]
The 26-foot vessel "Prime Time" struck a Lake Superior reef while at cruising speed near Schooner Island on the south shore of Isle Royale on the afternoon of August 11th. The captain radioed the Coast Guard and reported that the vessel was aground on the reef and taking water. Rangers Doug Murphy and Patrick Valencia responded in the "Belle Isle" and pulled the disabled vessel off the reef. The captain and his wife were transferred to the "Belle Isle", and a portable fire pump was used to keep the "Prime Time" from sinking during the three-hour tow back to park headquarters on Mott Island. Another distress call was received the following morning. The captain of the 38-foot trawler "Ceilidh" notified the park that the boat was powerless and adrift eight miles north of Blake Point on the northeast end of Isle Royale. The reported latitude and longitude placed the "Ceilidh" in Canadian waters about a mile north of the park. As with a previous incident (98-468, August 1st), the Canadian Coast Guard in Thunder Bay asked that the park handle the incident. Rangers again responded in the "Belle Isle," assisted by maintenance employees Buzz Brown and Ellen Mauer on the vessel "Beaver." The "Beaver" found the disabled "Ceilidh" and towed it back to Mott Island. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 8/11]
Crews arriving on the island to open the park in late April found extensive damage from winter storms. Hundreds of trees had been blown down within the main developed areas, and many buildings were literally covered with downed trees. Fortunately, structural damage was not extensive. Four power poles were broken and hundreds of feet of power line were also down. Significant sections of the main water, sewer, and telephone lines at Rock Harbor had been torn up by uprooted trees. No trees were left standing within a two- to three-acre area near the park's sewage treatment plant. Trail crews have already cut and removed over 1500 fallen trees from the park's trail system and campgrounds. All key operating systems have been repaired, but debris clean-up continues. Not since 1982 has the park experienced such a large amount of winter blowdown. The winter storms were sufficiently violent to deposit debris from Lake Superior under the porches of park residences on Mott Island, something that has never occurred before. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 6/17]
The park received an urgent call from a chartered commercial dive boat moored near a shipwreck off the shore of Isle Royale at 1:40 p.m. on July 30th. The caller reported that there was an unconscious diver aboard who might have suffered an air embolism. D.V.D. of Baldwin, Wisconsin, and partner Rick Funk had completed a 100-foot dive to the bow of the sunken ship Congdon. D.V.D. signaled his intention to ascend just ten minutes into the dive. At a depth of around 60 feet, Funk saw D.V.D. sink past him toward the bottom. Funk swam back down and found D.V.D. unconscious and with his regulator out of his mouth. He grabbed D.V.D. and made an emergency ascent to the surface. Others on the boat began CPR. Ranger Kyle McDowell arrived on scene and transferred D.V.D. to his boat. CPR was continued during the trip to a waiting helicopter ambulance on Mott Island, where D.V.D. was pronounced dead by paramedics. IC for the incident was East District DR Bill Munsey. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 8/2]
B.S., 51, was camping at Moskey Basin with a group of Boy Scouts at 6 p.m. on the evening of August 11th when he began experiencing chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. By chance, ranger April Wood was on boat patrol in the area; she was flagged down by scouts sent to get help. Wood provided medical care while awaiting the arrival of a carryout crew. B.S.'s condition continued to deteriorate. An air ambulance from Thunder Bay, Canada, arrived just before 8 p.m. and performed a difficult pickup from a small rock outcropping on the shore of Lake Superior. B.S. survived, but remains hospitalized in Canada, suffering from atrial fibrillation. This was the park's third medical emergency in ten days, all of which required air ambulance transport to Canada. There were no such transports during the previous five years. [Peter Armington, CR, ISRO, 8/15]
The vessel "Jolly Roger" reported a medical emergency - either a stroke or heart attack - on August 29th. Rangers Steve Martin and Joel Barnett responded to the craft, which was located at the west end of Isle Royale, and found an unconscious 47-year-old male who was still breathing. He was transferred to the park boat and medical care was provided while en route to the Windigo ranger station. He was flown by Canadian air ambulance to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where he's reported to be stable and recovering. [Bill Munsey, DR, ISRO, 8/30]
Superintendent Doug Barnard died on the morning of October 24th at the Mayo Clinic, where he was being treated for cancer. His daughter, Z., reports that his passing was peaceful. Notes celebrating Doug's life and career should be sent to his wife, S., and their children. Additional details regarding arrangements will appear shortly. [Bill Fink, Assistant RD, MWRO, 10/24]
Superintendent Doug Barnard passed away peacefully on October 24th after a long struggle with cancer. Doug was a 35-year veteran of the NPS. He began his career as a seasonal ranger at Isle Royale' s Windigo Ranger Station in 1964. In 1966, he was selected for a permanent position and was assigned to Lake Mead. While there, he was a leader in the modernization of the Service's law enforcement program. Doug had later assignments as chief ranger at Apostle Islands and as a district ranger at Big Bend and Yellowstone. He subsequently served as chief ranger at Grand Teton, then took the top job at Isle Royale in 1993. Doug was a leader in developing innovative programs in search and rescue, law enforcement, resource management, park planning, and other programs vital to successful accomplishment of the NPS mission. He received numerous awards throughout his career for his contributions and dedicated service, including the Department of the Interior's superior service and meritorious service awards. A memorial service will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, 201 Isle Royale Street in Houghton, Michigan, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 28th. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, LY 120, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109. Notes celebrating Doug's life and career may be sent to his wife, S.B., and their children in care of Isle Royale National Park, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, MI 49931. [Elizabeth Rossini, ISRO, 10/26]
On the afternoon of May 7th, a three-bedroom Mission 66 park residence was found fully engulfed in flames in the West District on Isle Royale. The unoccupied building burned to the ground. There were no injuries. It appears that the fire was started by a faulty furnace. [Pete Armington, CR, ISRO, 5/7]
The USFS Forest Engineering Laboratory and the School of Forestry and Wood Products buildings, both on the campus of Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, were the targets of an attempted fire bombing during the early morning hours of Monday, November 5th. The Forest Service building houses the offices of Midwest Region ARD Bill Fink and four Isle Royale NP visitor protection and natural resources management employees. The devices were found by Michigan Tech public safety officers during a regular security check. No employees were in the building at the time. A 2,000-foot safety zone was established and several nearby residences were evacuated. The devices were disarmed by a remote-controlled robot operated by the Michigan State Police bomb squad. The device at the USFS building was immediately adjacent to the window of Fink's office and within about six feet of his computer station. The attempted bombing is thought to be related to domestic terrorists who target the kind of forest genetic research being undertaken by the USFS and Michigan Tech. CISD debriefings are being offered to NPS staff. The FBI and ATF are working with local authorities in the investigation. [Bruce Cunningham, MWRO, 11/7]
The park's five-passenger concession seaplane experienced a mechanical failure while en route from the island to the mainland, 60 miles away, just after 1 p.m. on Monday, August 13th. The plane was eight miles offshore at the time, so the pilot turned back and landed safely under power near West Caribou Island in the 15-mile-long Rock Harbor Channel. Skies were clear at the time, with a light east wind and relatively calm waters. The pilot notified the park of the situation via marine radio and rangers Peter Maggio and Marshall Plumer responded from seven miles away in their 23-foot patrol boat. Moose/wolf biologist Rolf Peterson, who was in a small skiff in the area, provided immediate assistance by taking one of the bow float lines and towing the plane to keep it from being blown to shore. The plane's four passengers were off-loaded into the park's patrol boat, and the rangers then towed the seaplane to park headquarters on Mott Island, where it was secured with the assistance of staff there. The passengers and pilot were later transported from the island to Copper Harbor on the mainland via the concession ferry vessel Isle Royale Queen IV. The plane was returned to the mainland on Wednesday aboard the park's 165-foot Ranger III. The Ranger III crew employed the ship's on-board crane to lift the plane onto the forward cargo deck. They were assisted in unloading the plane in Houghton by the crew of a vessel from the Coast Guard's Portage Station. It was then towed by the Coast Guard and park vessels to a landing, where it was pulled out of the water for repairs. Logistics were coordinated by chief of maintenance Keith Butler, chief ranger Larry Kangas, and Bill Hanrahan, captain of Ranger III. [Larry Kangas, Chief Ranger]
On the morning of Saturday, July 13th, a recreational SCUBA diver exploring the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Kamloops" SS Kamloops shipwreck at Isle Royale National Park was fatally injured in a diving accident. At approximately 11 a.m., L.K., 55, of Wyoming, Minnesota, was diving in a party of three on a charter SCUBA trip to the park operated by Isle Royale Charters, Inc. Soon after descending to their target depth, his two partners noticed that L.K. was experiencing an unknown difficulty. They attempted to assist him but were forced to send him to the surface alone after he became unconscious. He was spotted by the boat crew and was brought aboard unresponsive and not breathing. Park rangers responded to the incident after receiving a distress call on marine band radio from the charter company vessel Lake Superior Diver. Kroshn was declared dead at the scene by ranger/EMTs. Rangers are currently working with the Keweenaw County medical examiner to determine a cause of death and to investigate the circumstances of the accident. Superintendent Phyllis Green has temporarily closed the Kamloops to diving. The Kamloops is considered an expert dive due to the depths involved; most of the wreck lies below 200 feet. It is located approximately 300 feet from the north shore of Isle Royale near Todd Harbor. [Richard Moore, Chief Ranger]
On August 22, lightning sparked the Horne Fire near the shore of Duncan Bay by the Tobin-Duncan Portage Trail. It has burned 200 acres thus far. Many campgrounds, trails, and docks are currently closed on the eastern end of the island. Source: The Detroit News
Isle Royale National Park — As of September 6, the Horne Fire is at 429 acres and 75% contained. The NPS reopened a number of trails and campgrounds that were closed due to the fire. A few places remain closed. Source: Upper Michigan Source, Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park — The park released its final report about the Horne Fire, which began in August 10 due to a lightning strike. It burned a total of 335 acres. Spot fires have been allowed to burn out this fall and winter as snow hits the area. Source: UP Matters August 24, 2022 On August 13, visitors noticed a wildfire start in the Mount Franklin area. A number of trails and campgrounds were temporarily closed and several hikers and campers were evacuated from the area. As of August 23, the fire was 100% contained. Some closures were lifted, while others remained in place. The cause of the fire is unknown and still under investigation and the NPS, and they are looking for any information the public may have related to an illegal fire and associated camp on the Mount Franklin Trail from August 12-13. Source: Minnesota Public Radio, Isle Royale National Park, Upper Michigan's Source September 18, 2022 On September 9, the Isle Royale Queen IV, the main ferry to the park, was shut down due to a cracked hull that is in noncompliance with United States Coast Guard restrictions. It will be closed for the rest of the season. The NPS assisted visitors who were stranded on the island via sea plane or the Ranger III, a 165-foot boat belonging to the NPS. Source: Isle Royale National Park
Due to high temperatures the last week in January, scientists were unable to land planes on weak ice at the park, disrupting the long-standing study of moose and wolves on the island. Temperatures have been running about 20 degrees above normal. Scientists were able to collect about two weeks of moose survey data before temperatures turned. Source: National Parks Traveler
On May 15, the U.S. Attorney's Office: Western District of Michigan announced that they had filed charges against three individuals, aged 28, 29, and 30, with one count of lighting, tending, or using a fire causing damage to real property; and one count of violating conditions established by the superintendent of the park. The charges are linked to a wildfire that ignited in August 2022. The individuals are alleged to have camped illegally in an area too close to the Mount Franklin and Tobin Harbor Trails and had a fire outside of an official fire ring or grill. The fire burned "park property" and created threats to public safety. Source: Isle Royale National Park | |