NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Zion NP
Climber Falls To Death During Big Wall Ascent
J.W., 34, of Durango, Colorado, fell to his death while climbing a popular climbing route called “Touchstone” on Friday, October 17th. Around 7:15 p.m., two climbers who were ascending a nearby route stopped a Zion Canyon shuttle bus and reported that another climber had fallen. Rangers on scene determined that J.W. had fallen approximately 300 feet and confirmed it was a fatality. His two climbing partners witnessed the fall. Eleven members of the Zion search and rescue team responded and worked through the night removing the victim and investigating the fall. “Touchstone,” located across the canyon from Angels Landing, is one of the most popular big wall climbs in the park. Over 1,000 feet high from river to rim, it is usually a two-day climb requiring an overnight stay on a “port-a-ledge,” a cot-like device attached to the wall. J.W. was considered a very experienced climber and had recently completed a climb of El Capitan in Yosemite. This is the first fatality in the park for 2008, and the sixth climbing fatality since 1983. Preliminary investigation reveals that J.W. was climbing a rope using mechanical ascenders. It appears that a short fall occurred, causing the ascenders to sever the rope. [Ray O'Neil, Plateau District Ranger]
Colorado NM
Confrontation With Armed And Suicidal Person
On the evening of October 18th, a ranger and a sheriff's deputy successfully disarmed a 35-year-old suicidal woman from Grand Junction about a half a mile east of the visitor center. A ranger and several sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a suicidal woman heading up to the monument to kill herself. A friend of the woman found her car on the side of Rim Rock Drive and reported his location to 911 dispatch. The ranger and a deputy arrived on scene a few minutes later and found the women sitting on the ground with a 9mm handgun in her lap. Fortunately, the slide on the handgun was locked back. The ranger drew his handgun and the deputy ordered the woman to drop the gun. When she failed to comply, the deputy and the ranger tackled and disarmed her. The gun was found to be unloaded, with many unspent rounds on the ground. Apparently the woman did not know how to operate the handgun properly. She was later transported to a mental health center in Grand Junction. [Phil Akers, Chief Ranger]
Natchez Trace Parkway
Multiple Disorderly Conduct Arrests
During the first two weeks of October, rangers made 20 arrests while conducting four separate plainclothes operations in the Ridgeland and Tupelo Districts in an effort to deter disorderly conduct violations. These operations targeted public sexual misconduct, solicitation and indecent exposure incidents that were known to be occurring at several parkway sites and trails. Several people were also charged with drug offenses. Other districts participated by providing personnel. Additional support was provided by the Lee County (Mississippi) Sheriff's Department. [Allen Etheridge, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
Among the stories in today's edition are the following:
Intermountain Region - Inspired by a well-attended talk from the man who coined the phrase “nature-deficit disorder” to describe children who rarely play outdoors, families swarmed Florissant Fossil Beds NM on October 4th for the first “No Child Left Inside Weekend” in Colorado.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6967" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6967
Washington Office - “Talking buoys” may not replace park rangers, but buoys are providing tidbits of history to boaters on the Chesapeake Bay as part of an agreement between the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=823" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PressReleases&id=823
Fire and Aviation Management - The upcoming two-year program is designed to assist in developing some of the competencies necessary to function as a fire management officer. Applications are due by November 7th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7006" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7006
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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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