Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
Follow-up on Two Climbing Incidents
Two climbers were rescued from Thumb Rock on Liberty Ridge on June
19th. A.H., 44, and B.P., 43, were hoisted off the mountain
by a Chinook helicopter, assisted by climbing rangers and the Oregon
Army National Guard flight crew. The climbers were uninjured and
did not require medical attention. A.H. and B.P. made a 911 cell
phone call Thursday morning requesting a rescue. The climbers found that
they were not able to either ascend or descend the Liberty Ridge route
from their location at the Thumb Rock high camp. The climbers recognized
that they were not up to completing the challenging route. An
attempt to rescue the climbing team was delayed due to the search and
rescue mission already in progress for two overdue climbers, Luke Casady
and Ansel Viscaya. Casady's body was found when climbing rangers reached
a point below Liberty Wall on Friday morning. Warm conditions on the
mountain make a ground search unsafe at this time for missing climber
Ansel Viscaya, who is presumed dead. The warm conditions increase
rock and ice fall in the steep terrain of Liberty Ridge and Liberty
Wall. Searchers will be sent back to the accident site when conditions
permit. Aerial searching will continue on Tuesday, weather permitting.
Mike Gauthier is IC on this incident.
[Submitted by Patti Wold,
Information Officer]
Big Bend National Park (TX)
Search for Missing Hiker
On June 3rd, rangers noted a Ford Taurus parked at the Mule Ears
parking lot, routinely used by backpackers heading out on extended
hikes. When they found that the vehicle was still there four days later,
they began a search and associated investigation. The latter revealed
that the Taurus' owner was P.B., 37, of Dallas. Search
operations were expanded over the next several days, and employed ground
teams, Border Patrol and Texas DPS helicopters, the park's airplane,
horse-mounted units and dog teams. The effort was scaled back to a
limited extended-search operation on June 14th following checks of all
likely areas and investigation of available clues and leads. As of that
date, ground teams had searched about 5,600 acres and aircraft had
covered about 33,000 acres.
[Submitted by David Elkowitz, Public
Information Officer]
Katmai National Park & Preserve (AK)
Two Employees Rescued After Boating Accident
On June 15th, ranger Jordan Barthold and maintenance mechanic John
Torzillo were on their way from Lake Camp to Brooks Camp on Naknek Lake
in the park boat when it began to sink. Park dispatch received an SOS
message from Barthold, reporting their condition and asking for help.
The boat had begun shipping water after each of its two outboard motors
stalled — first one, then the other. As four-foot waves spilled
over the stern, the boat quickly began to sink. Only minutes after
sending the message to dispatch, both men were clinging to the bow of
the boat, the only part not underwater. They held on for about 70
minutes before they were rescued. Both were taken to a local clinic,
where they were treated for cold water immersion and later
released.
[Submitted by Dona Taylor, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report — Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Due to travel obligations and timing issues, the summaries of the NIFC report that normally appear in InsideNPS will not appear again until next Monday. The following sites provide detailed information on the national situation:
Full NIFC Situation Report (PDF file) — http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf
National Fire News — http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html
Information on the NPS Fire Management Program Center (FMPC) and on park fires can be found at:
FMPC — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news
Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
Butte Lake Prescribed Fire (Prescribed Fire Treatment)
On June 16th, at approximately 17:00 hours, ignition began northwest of Butte Lake, and approximately 100 acres were completed. An additional 150 acres was burned on June 17th, until rain hampered combustion. Ignition operations resumed on the 18th and the final 150 acres should be completed by this afternoon. (full report)
The Butte Lake Prescibed fire is completed with 534 acres treated. Fire crews will continue to patrol and mop up until approximately mid-May.
Status: Butte Lake Trail and Bathtub Lake Trail will reopen June 22nd.
Acreage: 534 acres
Resources Committed: Approximately 60 firefighters, and 2 engines.
Estimated containment date: Mid-May, 2004[Submitted by Scott Isaacson , scott_isaccson@nps.gov, 530-595-4444 x 5162 ]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Alaska Region
Announcements for Two Superintendencies
Alaska Region is currently advertising two park superintendent positions.
The superintendent of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (GS-025/340-14/15) manages the largest park in the National Park System. At almost 13.2 million acres, it is larger than Switzerland, and encompasses a diverse spectrum of habitats and landforms, including nine of the 16 highest peaks in North America.
The park has a rich natural and cultural history. The laws establishing the park provide for the continuation and preservation of natural and human activities, including continuing uses such as subsistence, trapping, sport hunting, mining, aircraft use, and timber harvesting. As the former superintendent describes it, "It is an experiment on a grand scale, in which you are a participant as a visitor, resident, and/or citizen." This relatively young park (established in 1980) can already boast a superintendent alumni that includes two regional Directors, the superintendent of Sequoia/Kings Canyon, and the deputy manager of the Harpers Ferry Center.
The superintendent of Kenai Fjords National Park (GS-025/340-14) will manage an incredibly beautiful park located in south-central Alaska. The duty station is in Seward, a picturesque ocean side town that is located approximately 130 miles from Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Orcas, otters, puffins, bear, moose and mountain goats are just a few of the numerous animals that make their home in this beautiful place where the mountains and ocean meet.
Both parks have excellent staffs, are in great locations, and offer superb recreational opportunities. Other perks:
- Because of the higher costs associated with living in a remote location, employees in Alaska receive a non-taxable 25% cost-of-living allowance in addition to base pay.
- Tour renewal travel is provided to employees who relocate from outside Alaska to parks in Alaska. This means that transportation costs are provided for round trip travel for employees and their immediate families to travel outside Alaska after completing two years of continuous service at the park. (The entitlement is limited to two round-trips within the first five years of continuous duty in Alaska, and is based on the equivalent of round-trip costs between the employee's home of record and duty station in Alaska.)
- Return rights are also provided to current career and career-conditional NPS employees who relocate from outside Alaska to parks in Alaska. This policy is designed to help attract a larger pool of highly qualified employees to remote areas. Under this policy, employees will be given the opportunity to return to the region they were in prior to accepting the position in Alaska. To be eligible for return rights, the employee must complete a minimum tour of three calendar years at the Alaska park, and may elect a possible two year extension.
If you're an adventurous individual with excellent communication/collaborative and management skills and a passion for working closely with people, please consider this vacancy. The vacancy announcements are on USAJOBS, and will close July 2nd. Internet resources to learn more about the parks and area include the parks' web sites, the State web site (www.state.ak.us; click on Visit Alaska); and the Alaska community information website (www.dced.state.ak.us/cbd/commdb/CF_CIS.htm).
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.