NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Thursday, June 5, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Denali NP&P
Fallen Solo Climber Rescued From Peters Glacier
Denali mountaineering rangers led a life-saving technical rope rescue of a fallen solo climber on Mt. McKinley on the evening of June 3rd. C.R., 44, of Montreal, Quebec was descending the West Buttress route from the 17,200-foot high camp to the 14,200-foot camp when he fell almost 2,000 feet down to the Peters Glacier. C.R. fell from an elevation of approximately 16,400 feet down a 35 to 40 degree snow and ice slope, suffering facial trauma and a leg and ankle injury in the fall. He was able to use his satellite phone to dial 911 shortly before noon on Tuesday. Alaska State Troopers connected the distressed climber with Denali rangers, who put a ground rescue operation into effect (the high altitude Lama helicopter was unable to fly due to heavy cloud cover). A hasty team led by NPS mountaineering ranger Brandon Latham mobilized immediately from the 17,200-foot high camp, reaching the injured climber within three to four hours. A second rescue team led by mountaineering ranger Mik Shain climbed up the fixed lines from the 14,200-foot camp to assist in the elaborate technical rope rescue. After an initial medical assessment was performed by the first responders, C.R. was secured in a rescue litter and the labor-intensive technical rope rescue commenced. Using multiple anchored rope systems, the patient was first raised 2,000 feet back up to the 16,200-foot elevation on West Buttress ridge, then lowered 2,000 feet down the Headwall to the NPS ranger camp at 14,200 feet. From the time of the initial distress call, the entire ground rescue operation took ten-and-a-half hours and involved 14 ground rescuers, including mountaineering rangers, NPS volunteers, mountain guides, and independent climbers. Denali mountaineering staff estimates there have been at least ten significant climbing falls onto the Peters Glacier, including three separate fatalities in 1998. The technical rope rescue of C.R. involves the longest raising operation in Denali mountaineering history. As of the morning of June 4th, C.R. remained in serious but stable medical condition at the 14,200-foot camp awaiting helicopter evacuation. Expectations were that improving weather would make it possible to fly him off the mountain yesterday and transfer him to an Anchorage-based air ambulance for further medical care. [Maureen McLaughlin, Information Officer]
Rocky Mountain NP
Injured Climber Rescued From Hallett Peak
On May 25th, a 31-year-old Loveland, Colorado, man fell approximately 35 meters while climbing in the upper portion of Hallett Chimney on the north face of Hallett Peak. He sustained numerous significant injuries in the fall and was lowered to the base of the multi-pitch mixed route by his climbing partner. Rangers treated injuries on scene and lowered him the remaining distance down steep snow to a point near Emerald Lake where he was transported by toboggan (winter conditions prevailed) to an awaiting ambulance at the Bear Lake Trailhead. [Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer]
Baltimore Washington Parkway
One Killed, Four Injured In Parkway Accident
The Park Police were notified of an accident on the parkway on the evening of May 31st. A Ford Explorer went off the road from the southbound lane and ran into a tree on the right shoulder. The driver - J.A., 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland - was flown by “Eagle” to a local hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead. The passengers - an adult male and three boys, ages 5, 8 and 11 - were taken by ambulance to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. All southbound traffic was diverted onto Route 197 until midnight while an investigation was completed. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, Public Affairs Officer]
New River Gorge NR
Man Jumps To Death From New River Gorge Bridge
J.H., 23, a West Virginia resident, jumped to his death from the New River Gorge Bridge on the morning of Saturday, May 31st. A passing motorist reported someone walking on the bridge to the local 911 center. A Fayetteville, West Virginia, police officer responding to the call witnessed J.H.'s jump from the bridge. Shortly after 8 a.m., a search and recovery team comprised of rangers and personnel from the local county sheriff's department, city police and fire departments, and EMS organizations began a search for him. The body was found deep within the gorge near CSX railroad tracks on Saturday afternoon. A follow-up investigation was conducted by Fayette County Sheriff's Department. [Leah Perkowski, Education Technician]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
WASO Press Release - The country's 200,000 miles of trails provide ideal places for exercise and exploration - and National Trails Day on June 7th is a good time to visit one of them.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=797" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=797
Washington Office - Director Bomar recently named Katherine Stevenson as the Assistant Director for Business Services for the National Park Service. Stevenson will have Servicewide responsibility for fees, contracting, concessions and competitive sourcing. She has been acting in the position since January 2007.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1945" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1945
NPS Alumni - A celebration of the life of Kevin Kacer is to be held in Naples, Florida, on the afternoon of June 14th. He died suddenly while on a trip to Chicago on May 20th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1946" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1946
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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