NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, November 19, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-707 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Rockslide; Evacuation

A rockslide occurred in Yosemite Valley just after 5 p.m. on the afternoon of
Monday, November 16th.  The slide originated in the Glacier Point apron
directly above Curry Village.  About 500 visitors, park employees, and
Yosemite Institute students were evacuated from the area, which was
immediately closed.  No injuries or fatalities were reported, and rangers
were able to account for all people who were in the area.  A damage
assessment was conducted on Tuesday morning.  Damage to guest accommodations
and concession employee housing was minimal.  Most of Curry Village was
reopened to visitors and employees later that day, but a section of the
village will remain closed until technical experts determine that the area is
safe.  Media interest in the event was high.  [Scott Gediman, Christine
Cowles, PIOs, YOSE, 11/18]

98-708 - Grand Canyon (AZ) - Illegal Commercial River Trips

Over the past four months, rangers either stopped and/or began prosecution of
three illegal commercial river operations:

o     In July, R.S., N.B. and S.C., all of South
      Carolina, were prosecuted for permit violations and false statements to
      federal officers at the time they launched their trip.  All three pled
      guilty, paid $1,000 fines, and have been administratively prohibited
      from participating in Grand Canyon river trips for three years.  
o     In August, Dr. T.K.W. of New Mexico was charged with permit
      violations after a licensed outfitter provided information indicating
      that Wuersching was using a private permit for commercial gain. 
      Prosecution is pending.
o     In October, the park canceled a trip being led by P.M. when an
      extended investigation revealed that P.M. and B.O., both of
      British Columbia, conspired to use P.M.'s private permit for
      commercial gain.  A key piece of evidence in this case was a fax
      received from Canadian wardens which advertised trip experiences,
      including "primal music, breath work, and firewalking."  The wardens
      were aware of the problem of illegal river trips following an exchange
      program between Grand Canyon rangers and Canadian wardens last spring. 
      P.M.'s permit was canceled and he and B.O. have been
      administratively prohibited from the river for three years.

These actions are considered vital to maintaining the integrity of the park's
river permit system.  [Patrick Hattaway, DR, River District, GRCA, 10/27]

98-709 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Search and Rescue
     
R.S., a German national, was reported three days overdue from a
three-day backpacking trip in Yosemite on the evening of November 8th.  His
rental car was found in Yosemite Valley with a note saying that he intended
to hike to Sunrise Lakes.  By that time, the first winter storm of the season
had closed the Tioga Pass Road with over a foot of snow. A large ground
search was started immediately.  Helicopters were also used to search from
the air.  Rangers on snowmobiles found R.S. walking on the Tioga Road on the
afternoon of November 9th.  He was suffering from exhaustion and frostbite in
his feet. R.S. was evacuated by helicopter to the hospital at Mammoth Lakes. 
The search involved 50 people and two helicopters and was about to expand
again when R.S. was found.  [John Stobinski, IC, YOSE, 11/17]

98-710 - Yosemite (CA) - EMS Incident, Life Saved
     
On the evening of Saturday, October 24th, Wawona rangers and EMS team 
members responded to a report of a visitor experiencing a severe anaphylactic
reaction at the Wawona Hotel.  They found a 16-year-old girl collapsed in a
stairway in severe respiratory distress.  She was turning blue, convulsing,
and had a very rapid, weak pulse.  Park maintenance employee and registered
nurse Brent Hansen administered a shot of epinephrine, and the girl's
condition immediately improved.  She was transported by park ambulance, then
taken to a Fresno hospital. The girl was alert and laughing within 15 minutes
of receiving the epinephrine.  The cause of her allergic reaction has not
been identified, but apparently was from something she'd eaten.  [Kevin
McMillan, EMS Coordinator, Wawona District, YOSE, 11/3]

98-711 - Rocky Mountain NP (CO) - Climbing Fatality

On November 15th, R.L., 37, of Boulder, Colorado, fell over 100 feet
while solo ice-climbing on "All Mixed Up," a popular ice-climbing route about
four miles into the park's backcountry and southwest of Mills Lake.  The park
was notified of the accident by cellular phone around 11 a.m.  Ranger Scott
Wanek arrived on scene first about two hours later.  R.L. was found to be
unconscious and suffering from multiple traumatic injuries.  High winds
prevented helicopter evacuation.  Park staff and Larimer County SAR
volunteers were in the process of carrying R.L. out by litter when he went
into cardiac arrest.  He died around 5 p.m.  Doug Ridley was IC.  [Joe Evans,
CR, ROMO, 11/15]

98-712 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Special Event
     
The 29th annual New York City marathon was run on November 1st, and again
began at the park's Fort Wadsworth site.  Over 32,000 runners from all over
the world gathered on park grounds prior to the starting gun.  The event was
managed under a special use permit, with preparations beginning more than two
weeks in advance.  This year's event ran smoothly, largely because of
increased coordination among representatives from the park, Park Police,
Coast Guard, and Army Reserve (all property owners within the site) and
several Staten Island and city agencies.  Conditions were added to this
year's permit which made it possible for park staff to better ensure runner
safety and protection of park property.  The permittee was charged
accordingly.  [Marty O'Toole, PR, Fort Wordsworth Unit, GATE, 11/3]

98-713 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Attempted Rape

A 60-year-old woman was walking along the Plum Beach shoreline around 7 a.m.
on October 30th when a man approached her from behind, threw her to the
ground, and attempted to pull off her pants.  The woman was able to fight off
her attacker, who fled to a nearby parking lot.  He sustained bruises to his
face and head and lost four teeth during the struggle.  Although the man's
face and hair were concealed by a light-colored fabric, the woman was able to
give detectives a good description of him.  The case is being investigated
jointly by Park Police and city detectives.  [Lt. John A. Lauro, USPP, GATE,
10/31]

98-714 - National Capital Parks Central (DC) - Sexual Assault
     
On November 1st, Park Police officers investigated a sexual assault which
occurred along Ohio Drive in East Potomac Park.  The victim, a 17-year-old
girl, had been driven to the park, then choked and sexually assaulted.  She
knew her assailant, and was able to provide his nickname and a partial
description of his vehicle.  Officers found the vehicle in the city and
picked up a suspect.  The woman positively identified the man, 25-year-old
S.W., who was then arrested.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 11/2]

98-715 - National Capital Parks East (DC) - Assault with Intent to Kill

A 15-year-old boy from Fort Washington, Maryland, was shot in Fort Dupont
Park on November 7th.  He was taken to a city hospital with gunshot wounds to
the head and wrist, but was soon reported to be in good condition. 
Investigation led Park Police officers to another 15-year-old, who was
arrested at his home in Maryland on November 8th and charged with assault
with intent to kill while armed.  At the time of the report, he was awaiting
extradition to the District of Columbia.  A second suspect is being sought. 
[Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 11/9]

98-716 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD) - MVA with Fatalities

Park Police officers were dispatched to a single-vehicle accident on the
parkway near Goodluck Road on November 14th.  They found that a Nissan had
struck several trees in the median, and that the two occupants - C.C.,
39, of Bethesda, Maryland, and N.J.B., 38, of Germantown,
Maryland - had been killed in the crash.  Investigation revealed that the
driver lost control of the Nissan while attempting to avoid a deer.  [Henry
Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 11/16]

98-717 - Cape Hatteras NS (NC) - Suicide

On the morning of November 2nd, county dispatch received a report that there
was a man lying in the Salvo day use area and that he was bleeding and had no
pulse.  Rangers Jack Kane and Michelle Uhr responded along with county
deputies.  They found that R.A., 35, of Avon, had evidently shot
himself with a shotgun.  An investigation is underway.  [Jeff Cobb, CR, CAHA,
11/2]

98-718 - Canyonlands NP (UT) - Assist; Climbing Fatality

On the morning of November 14th, rangers received a report of an apparent
climbing fatality in Indian Creek Canyon, a popular climbing destination on
BLM land just outside the park's Needles District.  They found the body of
41-year-old P.H. of Telluride, Colorado, at the base of "The Naked and
the Dead" climbing route.  Park Service personnel conducted a scree
evacuation of the body for the county sheriff's department and assisted in
the investigation.  Evidence indicates that P.H. had been solo climbing late
on the previous evening and that his one-piece anchor pulled out as he was
rappelling off the route.  He fell about 30 feet and suffered extensive
injuries.  [Fred Patton, DR, CANY, 11/5]

98-719 - Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Body Recovery

The body of an unidentified man was found washed up on the north beach of
West Ship Island on the morning of November 17th.  The body, which had been
in the water for a few days, is presumed to be that of a man who fell from a
shrimp boat well outside of the park on November 7th.  A joint investigation
is underway.  [Mark Lewis, DR, GUIS, 11/17]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

More on Director Hartzog - As was noted in a recent Morning Report, past
director George Hartzog (1964-1972) has been in the hospital in Arlington,
Virginia, where he underwent surgery to remove part of his right foot in late
October.  The objective was to check a spreading infection, which resulted
from complications associated with diabetes.  Unfortunately, that amputation
proved insufficient, and he underwent additional surgery this week in which
he lost part of his leg.  If you haven't had a chance to send him a card yet,
now's the time to do so: Director George Hartzog, 1643 Chain Bridge Road,
McLean, VA 22101.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

Bicycle Patrols - Golden Gate NRA is interested in hearing from parks with
bicycle patrol programs.  They'd like to exchange information on SOPs,
equipment, visitor reactions, uniforms, and related matters.  Contact Alex
Naar at NP-GOGA-MAHE.     

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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