Thursday, August 8, 1991
91-377 - Arches (Utah) - Search and Rescue
On the morning of July 30th, N.C.I. and H.N.,
both Japanese nationals who live and teach in Chicago,
headed out for a short roundtrip hike on a trail in Devils
Garden. They took a wrong turn on the trail, though, became
lost in an area of tall sandstone fins and multiple drainages,
and soon became separated from each other. N.C.I. eventually
found a trail, returned to the trailhead, and reported his
missing companion to a park ranger. Because of a variety of
factors, including temperatures in excess of 100 degrees,
H.N.'s limited outdoor experience, and his lack of adequate
clothing and any drinking water, park staff determined that an
aggressive response was in order. Personnel from both Arches
and two districts of adjacent Canyonlands were mobilized. Three
two-person hasty teams were sent out on foot, and two other
two-person teams were sent out in vehicles to secure the search
zone perimeter. A contract helicopter was brought in from
nearby Mesa Verde to assist in the search. Soon after the
helicopter's arrival on scene, observers on board spotted
H.N. over a mile from any trail in rugged slickrock country.
Although weak, extremely dehydrated (he'd been without water for
eight hours) and hobbled by cactus spines in his feet, H.N.
was in good condition and was released from a local hospital
shortly after being admitted. H.N. observed and walked by
numerous potholes and plunge pools filled with water from recent
thunderstorms but never drank from any of them. [Telefax from
RAD/RMRO, 8/7]
Monday, September 9, 1991
91-472 - Arches (Utah) - Falling Arch
Sections of 306-foot-long Landscape Arch, the longest stone arch
in the park, fell from the underside near the center of the span
on last week. Several visitors at the arch on September 1st
heard popping, cracking and snapping sounds, then saw a section
measuring 60 by 8 by 5 feet fall to the ground. The park
subsequently closed the trail under the arch. According to
Superintendent Noel Poe, two more slabs fell on the 4th, and two
other sections are expected to fall soon. The last recorded
rockfall at Landscape Arch took place in the winter of 1941,
when a large boulder slipped from the inside of the arch's north
end. Poe said that no attempt will be made to prevent the arch
from collapsing. [Associated Press, 9/7]
Friday, July 16, 1993
93-488 - Arches (Utah) - Pursuit and Arrest
On July 10th, ranger Marc Yeston attempted to stop a late model BMW which
was being driven in a reckless and dangerous manner - travelling at a high
rate of speed and passing on blind curves. The driver sped away from the
pursuing ranger, drove through two stop signs and left the park. A pursuit
ensued which involved the ranger, a Grand County deputy, and Utah state
troopers until it was apparent that the driver had eluded authorities. A
roadblock was set up on the Colorado state line by Colorado troopers. The
vehicle was eventually located about 37 miles northeast of the park by a
local tour helicopter pilot who had been monitoring the pursuit over the
radio. The BMW was finally stopped by a Utah trooper and an Emery County
deputy north of Green River after having driven a circuitous 94-mile route
east, west and then north of the park. Rangers Yeston and Al Cummings
arrested the driver, W.H. of Pipersville, Pennsylvania. W.H.
appeared before a U.S. magistrate that day and plead no contest to a count
of reckless driving. He was fined $700. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 7/12]
Monday, August 30, 1993
93-637 - Arches (Utah) - Flash Flood
On August 8th, a large thunderstorm passed over the park and dropped three-
quarters of an inch of rain in about 40 minutes at the headquarters weather
station. The weather was even more severe in the heart of the park further
north, where hail caused whiteout conditions. Park visitors driving the
main road pulled over to wait out the rain, including Dean Jakubczak, who
was riding a motorcycle. A flash flood came down one of the dry washes that
went beneath the road; the volume of water was many times the capacity of
the 30-inch culvert and therefore spread down the road for about a half
mile. Jakubczak's cycle was picked up and carried 770 feet down the road,
then into another wash, where it was buried. The cycle and all of
Jakubczak's personal gear were lost. Jakubczak, who had sought refuge in
another visitor's van, attempted to save his cycle as the flood waters rose.
His shoelaces became caught in the kickstand as the bike fell over, and he
was dragged some 20 feet before becoming disentangled. He was not injured.
[Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 8/24]
Tuesday, January 25, 1994
94-28 - Arches (Utah) - Paleontological/Minerals Theft Investigation
Arches rangers have been involved in a nine-month-long multi-agency
investigation of the theft of paleontological and mineral resources from
state-owned lands just west of the park. Based on information received last
spring, rangers contacted four individuals - longtime Moab rock shop owner,
fossil hunter and Canyonlands concessioner L.O.; L.O.'s female
companion; and D.W. and E.W. of Rock Springs, Wyoming - who were
excavating dinosaur bones and chert in the Dalton Wells area. After
obtaining consent, a search of the W.'s vehicle revealed dinosaur bones
which had been collected at this site. Subsequent investigations by Arches
rangers, BLM rangers and Grand County sheriff's officers resulted in state
charges being filed against L.O. and the W.s. Charges for theft of
paleontological resources were quickly dismissed by the county judge, who
unfortunately was unaware of the precedent-setting nature of the citations
issued - the first known citations invoking the state's relatively recent
paleontological protection act. The state proceeded with charges against
L.O. in district court, contending that he had collected mineral
resources from state land without a permit. The case will go to trial this
spring. This is the first time such a case involving protection of mineral
resources has been taken to district court in Utah. [CRO, ARCH, 1/14]
Tuesday, April 19, 1994
94-173 - Arches (Utah) - Multiple Incidents
During the month-long period ending April 8th, the park's small staff were
involved in four technical rescues, including one major rescue requiring the
help of two Canyonlands rangers; three searches; four medicals involving
transport to the hospital; four motor vehicle accidents, including a DUI and
a rollover with four injuries and two trapped inside; and numerous minor law
enforcement and traffic offenses. These incidents correspond to a
significant increase in visitation (up 30% by the end of March) associated
with the Moab area becoming a destination for college and high school
students on spring breaks. During the same period, the park implemented a
mandatory permit system for day hikers in Fiery Furnace, a popular but
delicate sandstone fin area that has seen severe resource degradation in the
last few years because of unregulated and uneducated users. [Jim Webster,
CR, ARCH, 4/10]
Thursday, September 8, 1994
94-533 - Arches (Utah) - MVA with Fatality
R.P., 38, of Moab, Utah, was killed in a motorcycle accident in
the park on the evening of September 4th. Earlier in the evening, a visitor
had contacted R.P. and his girlfriend at the Delicate Arch view point and
told them that she was afraid because her husband had threatened her and
their child. R.P. then drove to Devils Garden campground, reported the
incident to a ranger, and was returning to the view point with the ranger
behind him when he lost control of his motorcycle, slid into the westbound
traffic lane, and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. An airlife helicopter
and ambulance were summoned and CPR and first aid were administered to
R.P. until the ambulance arrived. R.P. was later pronounced dead at
Allen Memorial Hospital. While finishing the accident investigation,
rangers were contacted by the woman who'd made the initial report about
threats from her husband. She said that her husband had not returned and
that she was concerned for his safety. She would not admit there was a
problem, however, nor that she had earlier requested assistance. A hasty
search was initiated but disbanded when a Grand County deputy located the
husband in Moab. (Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH, 9/6)
Thursday, September 8, 1994
94-535 - Arches (Utah) - Employee Death
Park campground host George Boardman, 76, died of natural causes on
September 5th. He was flown to Saint Mary's on September 3rd and operated
on for appendicitis. It was thought that he would be released within seven
to ten days, but his condition deteriorated and he died on the 5th. Doctors
have requested an autopsy, as they are unsure of the actual cause of death.
His wife, Jean, and he were working on their second season as campground
hosts here at Arches. She will return to Tucson after tying up her affairs
in the area. (Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH,9/6)
Wednesday, December 28, 1994
94-682 - Arches (Utah) - Visitor Injured by Ram
On the afternoon of December 15th, a bighorn ram knocked down and injured a
visitor who'd walked into the herd to take photographs. The man had gotten
between the ram and the herd, then had turned his back on the ram and knelt
down to take photos of the rest of the herd. Three smaller rams came to the
front of the group and stared at the man, cocking their heads. When the man
stood up, the large ram charged him, striking him on his right shoulder and
knocking him to the ground. The man got up slowly and began screaming for
help. Two passers-by ran to assist him, but the ram ignored them and charged
again, striking the man in the middle of the back and again knocked him down.
The visitors yelled and waved their arms at the ram, but he stood his ground.
The ram did not charge again, though, and the visitors were able to get the man
back to his car. Although the man suffered a bruise to his shoulder, severe
abrasions on his back and complained of pain around his collar bone, he
declined to report the incident and refused medical assistance offered by one
of the witnesses. According to another of these witnesses, all of the rams
displayed aggressive poses - lowering and cocking their heads - throughout the
incident. This herd is well known in the Moab area because it grazes just off
Utah Highway 191 along the park's southern border during the fall, winter and
early spring. Many visitors stop to take photographs of the animals, but they
usually move up the steep slopes into the park when photographers get too
close. This is the first known instance of a bighorn butting a visitor.
[Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH, 12/27]
Monday, July 24, 1995
95-443 - Arches (Utah) - Stolen Vehicle Arrests
On July 10th, sheriff's deputies and state highway patrol officers asked
rangers to assist in an on-going pursuit of a stolen vehicle that had begun
when the driver skipped out after filling up at a local gas station. The
pursuit ended when the vehicle became disabled after travelling over extremely
rough roads just north of the park. The driver, C.O., and a 16-
year-old runaway fled on foot and jumped into a rugged canyon. They were soon
spotted from a fixed-wing aircraft and arrested by rangers and state troopers.
Two days later, a trooper pursued another stolen vehicle involved in another
gas skip to a point near the park's visitor center, where the vehicle spun out
and the driver, J.P., fled into the park. J.P. climbed up a steep,
rocky slope above the visitor center. Rangers and officers quickly converged
on the area and soon found him. J.P. threatened to jump off a cliff, but was
subdued and arrested. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH]
Monday, October 2, 1995
95-655 - Arches/Canyonlands (Utah) - Assist; Rescue
On September 29th, rangers from the two parks assisted the Grand County
sheriff's office with the rescue of M.M., 32, a rock climber who had
been struck by lightning on Castleton Tower. They quickly reached her,
provided advanced life support, and evacuated her from the area. M.M.
suffered burns on 20% of her body. [Steve Swanke, CANY]
Tuesday, December 5, 1995
95-758 - Arches (Utah) - Rescue
D.T., 13, of Magna, Utah, was running along the top of a sandstone fin
in Devils Garden campground on November 25th when he lost his footing and fell
75 feet to the ground, landing on sand between two rock outcrops, missing both
by inches. D.T. suffered open fractures of a femur and humerus. He was
stabilized by a visiting paramedic and evacuated by park staff to a waiting
ambulance. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH]
Monday, April 22, 1996
96-149 - Arches (Utah) - Spring Break Incidents
A number of incidents occurred in the park during the week preceding Easter
weekend - the final week in over a month of "spring breaks," during which
multitudes of college and high school students descended on the Moab and park
area. These incidents included a high-angle rescue of a rimrocked father and
his daughter, the carry-out and helicopter evacuation of a hiker who fell
about 35 feet after entering a closed area, and assists (under a cooperative
agreement) to BLM and the county sheriff in the surrounding Colorado River
and Sand Flats areas. The latter entailed arrests, accident investigations,
medical responses, crowd control, and numerous citations for alcohol, illegal
camping and motor vehicle violations. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH]
Monday, April 22, 1996
96-153 - Arches/Canyonlands (Utah) - Assist; Rescue
Rangers from Arches and Canyonlands recently assisted Grand County sheriff's
deputies in the evacuation of an 18-year-old woman who had fallen 50 feet and
received extensive back and leg injuries. Rangers Galen and Wendy Howell,
Steve Swanke and Marc Yeston provided the technical expertise required to
lower the victim over a 150-foot overhanging cliff to a waiting litter
evacuation team - all at night. The victim was then evacuated by helicopter
to a regional trauma center, where she remains in intensive care. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH]
Thursday, June 13, 1996
96-278 - Arches (Utah) - Golden Age/Golden Eagle Passport Violations
On April 29th, fee collector A.W. became suspicious of the validity of
a Golden Age passport presented by a Mr. D. She asked him to take the
pass out of his wallet and give it to her. As she was about to return it to
him, she discovered that the back of it was blank. D. immediately
admitted that it was a color photocopy that he had made for his wife when
they were traveling separately, as she was only 62 years old. He then
produced the original, which was confiscated. The investigation continues.
A.W. noted that she wouldn't have realized it was a fraud even by holding it,
as it had been printed on card stock paper. In May, the park began checking
the identification of visitors presenting Golden Eagle passports, as there
were indications that these were being misused. Over 50 passes were seized
in a two-week period, all of which had been loaned or given to visitors by
friends or family members. Since most of the visitors then purchased
replacement passes, the park collected about $1100 it would otherwise not
have received. One visitor admitted that he was the third person to use the
pass, which was being circulated in Germany. Another visitor received his
pass with the rental of his motorhome and provided the park with a copy of
the company's brochure, which advertised the availability of Golden Eagle
passports. When the company was contacted, the owner admitted that he
received the passes from people returning their vehicles, and that he then
gives them to subsequent renters. This investigation is also continuing.
[Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH]
Thursday, June 13, 1996
96-280 - Arches (Utah) - Low Flying Aircraft Conviction; License Suspension
Last October 3rd, a patrol ranger spotted a single-engine plane flying at low
altitudes near Balanced Rock. The plane was flying within 500 feet of the
patrol vehicle when first observed, and continued its low flight past the
Balanced Rock area, where several park visitors were on the trail or in the
parking lot. The plane made several more low passes over some of the park's
developed attractions, then headed to the airport near Moab. The plane and
its owner, D.K., were identified at the airport the following morning
with the help of staff from a local air tour operator. An enforcement
complaint was filed with the FAA. The case went to a hearing in Salt Lake
City on May 1st, and resulted in D.K. receiving a 30-day suspension of his
pilot's license. D.K. still has the right to appeal. D.K. has had
several FAA complaints filed against him in his home state of Texas [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH]
Monday, August 26, 1996
96-490 - Arches (Utah) - Lightning Fatality
Q.F., a 22-year-old student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was struck
by lightning on the Delicate Arch trail during the passage of a particularly
active thunderstorm on the evening of Saturday, August 24th. Q.F. was hiking
with his brother and two companions when he was struck. A physician, a
third-year medical student, a paramedic and a critical care unit nurse were
all in close proximity at the time of the incident and began CPR immediately.
A cell phone call was made to the county sheriff's office; they in turn
notified the park. A park team, which included a paramedic and an EMT and
members of a local ambulance company, hiked in and provided advanced life
support, restoring Q.F.'s pulse. He was flown to a hospital in Grand Junction,
where he eventually succumbed from complicating internal trauma and burns.
Two lightning-caused fires also occurred during the storm's passage. The
first was extinguished by visitors in the campground who employed large
squirt guns and kitchen tools to suppress the fire. The second caused minor
burns to a visitor who attempted to put it out. [Marc Yeston, CANY]
Tuesday, December 24, 1996
96-703 - Arches NP (Utah) - Successful SAR
On Monday, December 9th, A.M. of Moab, Utah, was reported overdue
by her husband when she failed to return from a day of Christmas shopping in
Grand Junction, Colorado. Local law enforcement officers and park rangers
searched the off-road areas along the 110-mile stretch of highway between
Moab and Grand Junction by ground and air, but found no sign of her. On the
evening of December 12th, a trapper discovered her car in a remote area north
of the park. The search was expanded the next morning and included rangers,
local SAR team members, four dog teams, a state police helicopter, and Civil
Air Patrol aircraft. Around 3 p.m., rangers discovered barefoot tracks in
the area of Salt Wash within the park. Three dog teams were flown in and
worked different locations along the canyon. Just before sunset, one of the
teams spotted A.M.. She was evaluated by a park paramedic, then flown to
a hospital in Moab and treated for dehydration and minor foot injuries.
A.M. said that she'd taken a wrong turn while attempting to take a
shortcut back to Moab. After her car became stuck, she decided to hike
toward what she thought was the direction of the highway. Soon after she
left her car, she lost both of her shoes in calf-deep mud. Over the next
four days, she walked barefoot over rugged terrain, covering almost eight
miles. A.M. benefitted from unseasonably warm temperatures and ample
water in the form of snow. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH]
Tuesday, February 4, 1997
97-39 - Arches NP (Utah) - Suicide
A ranger on morning patrol came upon a frost-covered vehicle parked in a day-
use picnic area parking lot on the morning of January 31st. While walking
through the picnic area, looking for an out-of-bounds camper, the ranger came
upon the body of a man hanging from a tree limb. A search of the vehicle
turned up a suicide note and many personal possessions. Positive
identification and next-of-kin notifications had not been made at the time of
the report. A joint investigation with the county is underway. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH, 2/3]
Thursday, February 27, 1997
97-71 - Arches NP (Utah) - Falling Fatality
On February 26th, L.M. of Vail, Colorado, was hiking off-trail with a
friend in rough, steep terrain in the Elephant Butte area when he slipped and
fell at least 50 feet, suffering severe traumatic injuries upon striking the
ground. Responding rangers and local ambulance personnel provided life
support, but L.M. died about two-and-a-half hours later during a high-
angle, night-time scree evacuation. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 2/26]
Thursday, March 20, 1997
97-105 - Arches NP (Utah) - Rescue
On March 17th, eight-year-old C.H. of Kaysville, Utah, jumped into an
eight-foot-deep pothole on top of a tall, narrow sandstone fin located in a
picnic area adjacent to the Devils Garden campground. He quickly realized
that he was unable to climb out of the pothole; when his shouts failed to
bring help, he removed his shoes and socks, filled them with sand and rocks
found on the pothole floor, and repeatedly threw them up into the air, trying
to draw attention to his location. The combination of visual and audio
signals eventually attracted attention and led to a night-time technical
rescue which concluded with a rappel of over 50 feet off the fin to the
ground. C.H. was unhurt. The incident aroused substantial media interest
in the Salt Lake City area and provided several opportunities for the NPS to
provide preventive SAR information to the large number of people who will be
arriving in the area on school breaks over the next several weeks. This was
one of three search or rescue operations in the park within a four-day
period. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 3/19]
Monday, July 14, 1997
97-321 - Arches NP (UT) - EMS Rescue
On June 26th, G.R., 49, was hiking the Delicate Arch trail when he
experienced chest pains. Two friends went for help. Ranger Karyl Yeston
responded along with a county ambulance crew and other rescue personnel.
They found G.R. in full arrest and immediately began CPR and advanced life
support efforts. These were continued during an air ambulance flight to a
regional medical center. At the time of the report, G.R. was conscious,
stable and able to eat whole food. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 7/2]
Friday, August 29, 1997
97-509 - Arches NP (UT) - Significant Vandalism
At 7:30 p.m. on August 22nd, dispatch at the local sheriff's office received
a report that several people dressed in camouflage fatigues and ski masks and
carrying rifles had gotten out of a vehicle near the Courthouse Wash
trailhead and had entered the park. The area is just across a busy highway
from a commercial campground and only three miles north of Moab city limits.
The responding rangers and sheriff's deputy located five juvenile male
Explorer Scouts matching the description. The boys, all from Layton, Utah,
had been dropped off by three adult guardians who were going on a sunset hike
to Delicate Arch. Investigation revealed that the rifles were in fact CO2-
powered handguns that shoot paint balls, and that the boys were in the
process of "playing war." An NPS-owned bulletin board, highway bridge, rock
cliffs and culvert had all been struck by paint balls. Three of the boys
eluded pursuit; the fifth boy was finally contacted 30 minutes after the
arrival of the first ranger. The juveniles were brought to a park office to
await the arrival of their guardians, who finally returned at 10 p.m., well
after dark. Several mandatory appearance citations were issued, and the
juveniles were released to the custody of the guardians after parental
contact. This incident followed another paint ball vandalism incident in the
Fiery Furnace section of the park earlier in the summer by a group of younger
Boy Scouts from the Salt Lake City area who were on a sanctioned "adventure
camp" trip. These incidents and others have led the park to begin
discussions with the Utah Boy Scout executive leadership about the conduct,
actions, guidance and supervision of Utah-based Boy Scout trips to NPS areas.
If anyone in the NPS has had recent similar incidents concerning Utah Boy
Scouts, please relay them to NPS Utah state director Marty Ott or to Arches
chief ranger Jim Webster. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 8/28]
Friday, October 24, 1997
97-663 - Arches NP (UT) - Theft of Fee Collection Receipts
On September 21st, a locked canvas bag containing $2,025 in cash, travelers'
checks and personal checks - the receipts from one fee collector's entrance
station duty that morning - was stolen from the park's fee collection office.
The theft was discovered the following morning by two visitor use assistants
who were preparing the previous day's remittance. Rangers conducted the
initial investigation and interviews; the FBI participated in the subsequent
investigation. On October 15th, an FBI agent interviewed a first-year
seasonal visitor use assistant (one of the two who "discovered" the theft)
and elicited a confession to the theft. About half the cash was found buried
in a plastic bag out in the desert near Moab and was recovered; the balance
had already been spent. The canvas bag had been tossed in a dumpster in town
and the personal and travelers' checks had been destroyed. The employee, who
has been terminated, has agreed to repay the stolen money. The U.S.
attorney's office will prosecute for theft of public money (18 USC 641). Jim
Braggs was the lead NPS investigator. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 10/23]
Thursday, November 13, 1997
97-697 - Arches NP/Canyonlands NP (UT) - Agency Assist; Five Lives Saved
On November 8th, five young adults became stranded on a vertical 400-foot
cliff at Mat Martin Point near the Colorado River about 13 miles north of
Moab. They had hiked to the top of the cliff to rappel down the rock face.
During the descent, the cotton rope they were using, which had been acquired
by the father of a member of the group during military service many years
ago, got stuck in a crack, making further descent impossible. Since they
didn't possess any ascending equipment, they were stranded on the cliff.
Passing motorists heard calls for help and advised the sheriff's office,
which in turn summoned help from the NPS. Rangers Galen Howell, Wendy Howell
and Steve Swanke responded. Galen Howell completed a lead climb to the four
members of the group who were lowest on the cliff (about 120 feet off the
ground) and rescued them; the fifth was subsequently rescued by a county
rescue team. The members of the group were dressed in T-shirts and shorts
during their 18-hour ordeal. It rained and sleeted for most of the time
during the rescue operation, and temperatures were in the low 30s. The
rappel harnesses and hardware that one member of the group had were
improperly and unsafely utilized. During the rappel, several of the group's
members were hit by falling rocks; on one occasion, one of them fell while
trying to free climb in an attempt to free a jammed rope and only avoided
death by landing on a ledge. The rock face had tons of loose rock, which
complicated rescue operations. All five were treated for the initial stages
of hypothermia, then released. One was overhead saying that "they had
conquered the wall." [Steve Swanke, DR, CANY, 11/10]
Thursday, January 8, 1998
97-777 - Arches NP (Utah) - BASE Jumping
Ranger Kyle Nelson overheard BLM radio traffic about two parachutists jumping
from a cliff located within Arches NP and along the Colorado River on
November 11th. The BASE jumpers landed in a clearing in a campground being
developed by BLM. Nelson asked that the BLM employees witnessing the
incident detain the jumpers, which they did; rangers Nelson and Jim Webster
arrived shortly thereafter. Investigation and interviews with the two
jumpers - B.C., 29, of Long Beach, California, and Dr. M.C.,
33, an emergency room physician from Lexington, Kentucky - revealed
that they had jumped from a high cliff facing the Colorado River called
Arches Point. Both claimed that they did not know that the take-off point
was located within a national park. Their equipment was immediately seized
and citations were issued two days later for air delivery (defined in CFR as
"delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter, or
other airborne means..."). Both paid their fines on December 12th and had
their equipment returned to them on January 3rd. This is the first time that
BASE jumping activity has been confirmed at Arches NP, although several
reports have been taken in that area over the past three years. BASE jumping
is occurring more frequently in the Moab area, and was broadly publicized by
an organized event on BLM lands last spring, with at least one more event
scheduled for later this year. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 1/7]
Thursday, January 8, 1998
98-07 - Arches NP (UT) - Rescue
On January 2nd, M.C., 75, of Moab, Utah, was hiking with friends
in a side canyon off of Courthouse Wash, a major drainage running through the
park. She slipped and fell on ice on a talus slope, breaking the head of her
right femur. One person in her group went for help, while the rest found a
better location for her to rest, built a fire, and awaited rescue. A large
rescue crew comprised of NPS personnel from all park divisions and from
nearby Canyonlands NP responded. The extended carryout was hampered by
rugged terrain, cold, darkness, and multiple stream and ice crossings.
M.C. is a fit woman and was in training for an upcoming local half
marathon. Ranger Karyl Yeston was IC. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 1/7]
Wednesday, April 22, 1998
98-153 - Arches NP (UT) - Assist to Agency
K.H. of West Jordan, Utah, was stopped by a state trooper in Grand
Junction, Colorado, on April 1st. A routine check showed that he had a
felony warrant against him, but he sped away in his pickup truck before an
arrest could be made. A 90-mile vehicle pursuit ensued, with speeds in
excess of 100 mph. K.H. left I-70 north of the park and traveled cross-
country through open, rugged desert terrain toward Arches. The truck was
eventually stopped less than two miles from the park. Arches rangers Wendy
Howell and Karyl Yeston played a pivotal role in getting K.H.'s forward
progress halted and eventually stopped by their tactical positioning and
knowledge of the area. Over 16 officers from five agencies and two states, a
helicopter and airplane were involved in the pursuit. K.H., who stated
that he would rather die than go to jail, was taken into custody without
incident. There were no injuries. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 4/20]
Thursday, April 23, 1998
98-156 - Arches NP (UT) - Assist to Agency
On April 2nd, G.C., 19, of Spokane, Washington, was hiking and free-
climbing in a narrow, steep, walled box canyon on BLM land near the park when
she lost her footing, slid down a steep slickrock slope, and dropped
vertically into a narrow crack. G.C. sustained multiple traumatic injuries,
including a broken back, a severely angulated ankle fracture, and head
injuries. The county SAR team asked the park for assistance, and rangers
Galen and Wendy Howell responded. Galen Howell and five other rescuers were
lowered by helicopter onto a narrow ledge near the accident scene. G.C. was
stabilized, moved to a landing zone, then airlifted to a local hospital.
Many of the people involved in the rescue had recently taken or instructed at
a 32-hour, high-angle technical rescue course sponsored by the NPS. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH, 4/20]
Tuesday, May 12, 1998
98-198 - Arches NP (UT) - Falling Fatality
On May 6th, 23-year-old A.M. was on a group hike in the Delicate
Arch area when other members of the group noted that he was missing. A
search was begun immediately and he was spotted at the base of a 150-foot
cliff. The location was inaccessible, though, so group members were unable
to reach him. Rangers and the county short-haul team responded via foot and
helicopter and determined that A.M. had suffered fatal injuries in the
fall. His body was removed from the location by a helicopter using a long
line. The circumstances surrounding the fall are being investigated by
rangers and county authorities. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 5/11]
Tuesday, October 20, 1998
98-678 - Arches NP (UT) - Assist; Bicycle Accident with Fatality
On October 13th, K.K., 43, of Conifer, Colorado, fell more than 200
feet to his death in a mountain bike accident on BLM land immediately
adjacent to the park. Seven rangers from Arches and Canyonlands joined over
30 county SAR personnel in the recovery effort, which was complicated by
nightfall, a high potential for rockfall, and the lack of helicopter support.
The operation lasted for six hours and included several vertical litter
lowerings and a 600-foot, belayed, low-angle scree evacuation. About six
months ago, another mountain biker fell to his death from the same location.
Many of the rangers and county rescue personnel worked both incidents. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH, 10/16]
Monday, December 7, 1998
98-742 - Arches NP (UT) - Pipeline Explosion; Park Evacuation, Closure
A gas pipeline explosion occurred less than a half mile north of the park's
visitor center and main entrance on Highway 191 just before 10 a.m. on
December 3rd. A construction crew installing a new gas pipeline ruptured an
existing ten-inch line carrying unrefined natural gas liquids. Workers heard
the sound of escaping gas and fled; shortly thereafter, the gas ignited,
creating a fireball and plume of black smoke visible for miles. Rangers
heard the explosion and contacted the county sheriff's office. A 150-foot
high column of flame was visible above the 200-foot high ridge directly in
front of the visitor center, but the ridge prevented substantial and possibly
catastrophic damage to the park's headquarters area and injury to park
visitors and employees who reside there. The entire area was immediately
evacuated, and gas and electrical services were shut off. Visitors and
employees already in the park were prevented from entering the area and had
to either exit the park via backcountry roads or spend the night in the park
campground. An immediate interagency response ensued. Over 100 fire, EMS,
SAR, hazmat and law enforcement personnel from about 20 agencies with a 200-
mile radius of the incident responded. The incident was managed under a
unified interagency command. There were initial reports of up to 20
fatalities, but these proved incorrect - three pipeline workers received
minor injuries and a fourth was hospitalized with internal injuries. A D-8
Caterpillar bulldozer and eight other motor vehicles were incinerated in the
blaze, and a tractor-trailer travelling over the highway was damaged. Damage
to park resources included destruction of all vegetation covering about 50
acres and loss of a number of park boundary signs. Highway 191 was closed
for a day and a half, and nearby high voltage electric transmission lines
were shutdown for two days. Media interest in the incident was very high.
Twenty-eight NPS employees from Arches and Canyonlands NPs responded; several
filled key overhead positions and the remainder provided EMS, park security,
traffic control, spotter aircraft overflights, public information, and family
liaison. Eight park residents were evacuated from their homes for two days,
with most housed in local motels. The park remained closed and the
headquarters complex remained evacuated until repairs to the pipeline were
completed in the early morning hours of December 5th. The park returned to
normal operations later that morning. [Gary Haynes and Jim Webster, ARCH,
12/6]
Wednesday, November 3, 1999
99-646 - Arches NP (UT) - Illegal Overflight
Two motorized paragliders, also known as "powerchutes," landed at a picnic
area inside the park at dusk on October 1st. The two men operating the craft
were met by members of their group in motor homes, who were reportedly in
radio contact with them while they were flying. A Biological Resources
Division employee who saw the landing contacted the group. One of the pilots
told her that he landed because it was getting dark. Rangers arrived shortly
thereafter. During the several hours prior to the landing, the park had
received multiple complaints that up to eleven paragliders were flying at low
altitude over various park features, including over and beside Delicate Arch.
The two pilots - M.L.T. and T.P.S., both French
nationals - were cited under 36 CFR 2.17, aircraft and air delivery, and
their equipment was seized as evidence. Rangers Jim Webster and Karyl Yeston
met with members of the group the following morning to educate them about
relevant regulations and laws and the issues of quiet as a valuable resource,
overflights, and visitor expectations. The group was comprised of 14
motorized paraglider pilots and support crew members, all from France. They
were making one-day flights over scenic areas along their route from Los
Angeles to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, where they would be making
demonstration flights. Several of the pilots are of international renown in
the motorized paragliding community; one was featured in the March, 1999,
issue of National Geographic. Prior to the incident at Arches, the group had
been camping, landing and taking off outside parks, but had flown over
Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Death Valley NPs. Group members had been
contacted by rangers in each of those parks and had been informed of
regulations governing air delivery (landing and taking off) and the FAA
advisory requesting that pilots maintain a 2,000-foot altitude over protected
areas. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 10/29]
Friday, November 26, 1999
99-692 - Arches/Canyonlands NPs (UT) - Assist; Rescue
On November 20th, Grand County SAR asked rangers from the two parks to
assist them in the rescue of a seriously injured climber near Castle
Valley, just across the Colorado River from Arches NP. Z.H.
was climbing a route on the south face of Rectory Butte when a rock
was dislodged by another climber above him; the rock struck him on the
head, knocking him off a narrow ledge. Although he was wearing a
helmet, he was knocked unconscious and suffered a closed-skull
fracture and other traumatic injuries. One climber remained with him
while another rappelled to the ground and summoned help via a cell
phone in her vehicle, located over an hour away. A team of nine
rescuers, including four NPS rangers, was flown by helicopter to the
top of the 375-foot rock tower. Two rescuers were lowered about 100
feet to Z.H. They treated him and got him loaded onto a litter. He
was then lifted to the top of the rock, where a waiting medical
helicopter picked him up and flew him to a trauma center in Grand
Junction. Night fell during the final stages of the operation. Z.H.
remains in serious condition. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 11/22]
Friday, June 2, 2000
00-246 - Arches/Canyonlands NP's (UT) - Assist; Manhunt
P.T., an inmate at the Grand County Jail in Moab, Utah,
escaped from a cellblock through a ventilation shaft on the evening of
May 31st. He'd earlier been overheard saying that he was going to
escape and that he would kill anyone who got in his way. All available
law enforcement personnel in the region were asked to help assist in
securing the area. Eight rangers from the two parks were assigned to
roadblocks and perimeter security duties. P.T. was stopped at a
roadblock near Monticello. He turned his stolen vehicle around and
fled at a high rate of speed, with state and city officers in pursuit.
He left the highway and headed down a dirt road, but crashed the
vehicle, suffering extensive injuries. He was taken into custody and
is currently in a hospital in Salt Lake City. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH,
6/1]
Tuesday, August 15, 2000
00-480 - Arches NP/Canyonlands NP (UT) - Search
On August 1st, a 13-year-old boy from Woodstock, Illinois, was
mountain biking on a backcountry trail outside of Moab (and directly
across the Colorado River from Arches NP) with his father and other
members of a youth group. He biked ahead of his group, took a wrong
turn, and became lost in very rugged desert canyon terrain. An initial
search was conducted that night by county SAR team members; it proved
fruitless, so a major search was begun the following day. The NPS was
asked to assist and contributed 18 employees to the effort. The
incident involved well over 100 people from numerous local, county,
federal, private and volunteer organizations and received significant
regional media attention. Arches and Canyonlands employees worked as
trackers, ground searchers, dog team members, aerial searches, and
support staff in plans, logistics and communications. Ranger Gary
Haynes was the plans section chief. Environmental conditions were a
major consideration, with daytime temperatures reaching 110 degrees,
steep canyons, and rough and rocky terrain. The search continued until
mid-day on August 5th, when trackers found the boy's body about
two-and-a-half miles from his abandoned bicycle. There were no
injuries or heat-related illnesses during the operation despite the
prevailing conditions. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 8/7]
Monday, October 23, 2000
00-661 - Arches NP (UT) - Resource Violations
On the morning of September 19th, visitors reported that fires had
been set in the area immediately around Delicate Arch. Investigating
rangers found that four fires had apparently been lit on the previous
night, one of which was still smoldering. The fires, set on bare rock
and sand directly underneath and beside Delicate Arch, caused
scorching and discoloration of the red sandstone. Efforts to restore
the fire scars have been complicated by the presence of an oily or
waxy substance that has stained and penetrated into the rock surface
beneath each of the scars. The park is in the process of securing the
services of a professional stone conservator to conduct a damage
assessment and to determine if the fire scorching is permanent. A
criminal investigation is currently under way. Investigators have
already determined who set the fires and the reason they were set. A
decision regarding prosecution will be made by the U.S. Attorney's
Office when the investigation and assessment are completed, probably
during the next few weeks. This incident has attracted statewide and
regional media attention. Delicate Arch is probably the most famous
natural span in the world and is a place of unsurpassed natural beauty
in an incomparable setting. As well as being one of the most
recognized icons of the National Park System, it is also synonymous
with Utah in many people's eyes. The arch is featured in innumerable
publications and advertisements and on Utah's centennial license
plate. A facsimile was featured at the closing ceremonies of the 1998
Nagano Winter Olympics. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 10/20]
Tuesday, March 6, 2001
01-077 - Arches NP (UT) - Suicide
A ranger checking backcountry road conditions on February 21st came
upon a vehicle parked 30 feet off Salt Valley Road. He saw that the
engine was running and that dryer vent tubing ran from the exhaust
pipe to a partially-closed window. The remaining windows were closed.
The driver - a 40-year-old Denver man - was dead. The death has been
ruled a suicide. Rangers and county authorities investigated. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH, 2/26]
Monday, March 12, 2001
01-086 - Arches NP (UT) - Rock Fall; Employee Injuries
On March 7th, a large rock fall occurred during a technical rock
rescue training session being conducted in the park. Seventeen people
were attending the training. The rock, estimated to be between 30 and
40 feet long and weighing over one ton, fell nearly 300 feet from the
top of a sandstone cliff. It struck a small protrusion near the
beginning of its fall, causing a loud noise, then broke up on its way
down. The noise alerted six people who were directly below, sitting
down to take a lunch break. They scattered just before the rock hit
the ground a few yards behind the lunch location and exploded. Two
park employees were injured. Andrew Fitzgerald was knocked to the
ground by flying debris and suffered a head injury and multiple
lacerations; Lee Kaiser, who was not among the six, injured his leg
slightly while trying to get away from the flying rock. Fitzgerald was
treated for his injuries, secured to a litter, lowered over the side
of a 100-foot cliff to a second team, then transported a quarter-mile
cross-country to a waiting ambulance. His injuries turned out to be
relatively minor, and he was released from the hospital later that
afternoon. Rain had fallen off and on for several days prior to the
training session. Examination of the release site at the top of the
cliff revealed that a large sandstone flake had simply let go of the
surrounding rock. The rain-weakened condition of the sandstone, an
existing crack in the rock, and freeze-thaw conditions typical of late
winter in the area are thought to have been the primary reasons for
the natural release. The high-angle rock rescue training is a joint
NPS - Grand County SAR session conducted annually before the visitor
season begins. Those who were directly below the falling rock with
Fitzgerald and therefore had a "near death experience" were Murray
Shoemaker and Nathan Plants from Arches NP, Dan Habig from Canyonlands
NP, and Bego Gerhart and Frank Mendonca of Grand County SAR. [Jim
Webster, CR, ARCH, 3/10]
Thursday, May 31, 2001
01-239 - Arches NP (UT) - Search and Rescue
On May 25th, a group of 40 college students and professors from
Juniata College in Pennsylvania went on a hike in a rugged backcountry
section of the park. Several members of the group began exhibiting the
symptoms of heat exhaustion following a climb out of the steep,
800-foot Colorado River canyon. The trip leader decided that the group
could not descend back into the canyon because the route was too steep
and exposed, so he lead them cross county to another canyon where
descent was easier. More members of the group became ill from heat and
lack of fluids, and two became lost. The leader made a 911 cell phone
call at 12:30 p.m. and reported the group's situation. A multi-agency
search and rescue mission was launched which eventually involved 37
people from Arches and Canyonlands, St. Mary's Air Care, and Grand
County SAR, EMS and sheriff's office. Although a number of the
students were suffering from various degrees of heat exhaustion, they
were able to walk out of the canyon under their own power. Three
required rescue from the canyon, including one in serious condition
who had to be medevaced by helicopter; all three were hospitalized.
Searchers found the two missing people just as the last heat victim
was evacuated from the canyon. The high temperature for the day was 99
degrees. The three students who were hospitalized were all released
later that evening. [Jim Webster, CR, ARCH, 5/30]
Friday, October 26, 2001
00-661 - Arches NP (UT) - Follow-up: Resource Violations
On the morning of September 19, 2000, visitors reported that fires had
been set in the area immediately around Delicate Arch. Investigating
rangers found that four fires had apparently been lit on the previous
night, one of which was still smoldering. Three of the fires, set on
bare rock and sand directly underneath and beside Delicate Arch,
caused scorching and discoloration of the red sandstone. Efforts by
local park staff to restore the fire scars were unsuccessful, in part
because of the presence of an oily or waxy substance that stained and
penetrated into the rock surface beneath each of the scars. An
intensive investigation led to the identification of Michael Fatali,
36, of Springdale, Utah, as the man who had set the fires. On October
19th, Fatali was charged in federal court with several violations of
federal law in connection with these fires and others set at
Canyonlands NP. Fatali, who apparently used the fires as a
photographic technique, is charged with injuring or defacing mineral
resources in a national park; unauthorized fire in a national park;
lighting or using a fire that damages or burns national park
resources; leaving a fire unextinguished on public lands; and aiding
and abetting. Each of the seven misdemeanor counts carries a potential
maximum prison sentence of six months and a fine of up to $5,000.
Investigators believe that Fatali used Duraflame logs to start several
of the fires, and that Fatali started similar fires about four years
ago at Horsehoof Arch and in a slot canyon known as "The Joint Trail,"
both in Canyonlands NP. Restoration work on the Arches burns was
completed on October 20th. Two of the three fire scars are no longer
visible, and the worst of the three fire scars - the one directly
beneath the arch - looks much better than before, though still
visible. The rehabilitation project was undertaken by Bob Hartzler,
NPS architectural conservator from Santa Fe, with assistance from
Angelyn Rivera of Bandelier NM. Hartzler has described their efforts
as follows: "Our treatments were conservative, consistent with our
practice of balancing treatment effectiveness against the impact of
the treatments on the monument. Most of the soot staining remaining on
the sandstone is firmly adhered in the top millimeter of the stone,
and proved to be resistant to treatments with either of the two
cleaning preparations we brought. Spot tests with a small range of
over-the-counter cleaning products also proved mostly ineffective.
Cleaning efforts by the park and a year of weathering and natural
erosion have removed most of the primarily surface soiling. We were
able to remove all of the melted plastic-like deposits... Mechanical
removal of the top layer of the soiled stone would eliminate the
remaining soiling, but we believe that treatment is not warranted, and
do not recommended it. Some soiling remains, but I believe the
appearance of the damaged areas was improved, and the stains will
continue to fade." [Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH, 10/22]
Monday, December 3, 2001
01-043 - Intermountain Region - Follow-up: Special Event - 2002 Winter
Olympics
The Intermountain-Midwest incident management team remains very active
in supporting the NPS commitment to the Winter Olympics, which begin
on February 8th in Salt Lake City and will conclude on February 24th.
The team has incorporated personnel from other agencies (USFS, BLM and
Utah State Parks) into its organization in order to serve interagency
needs during the games. Selections have been made for most NPS
assignments (including alternates) for this event - a total of 105
Level I commissioned rangers (and six alternates), six information
specialists (and four alternates), and eight media relations personnel
have been notified of their assignments, some beginning as early as
January 28th. Still to be notified are NPS employees who will staff
the Discover Navajo 2002 exhibit. There was tremendous interest in
these assignments and the team extends its appreciation for the high
level of support offered by many field personnel and their managers.
The NPS will provide commissioned rangers for a security detail under
the direction of the Secret Service, primarily in the alpine venues
around Park City. The Service will also staff the host city visitor
center in downtown Salt Lake City daily throughout the games, along
with BLM, USFS, and Utah State Parks. The host city VC opened on
October 31st and features exhibits on America's public lands that were
designed, fabricated and installed under the direction of Harpers
Ferry Center and NPS Olympics coordinator Bob Van Belle. The center
will also feature an interpretive sales area organized by a consortium
of Colorado Plateau cooperating associations. The NPS will have staff
at three different media centers in Salt Lake City and Park City at
various times throughout the games. Park staff from Golden Spike NHS
will work under a USFS IMT providing information on public lands at
Snow Basin Ski Area. Staff from Timpanogos Cave NM will provide the
same information at Soldier Hollow, where Nordic events will occur.
The Service's trails program will also have an exhibit on the Pony
Express at Soldier Hollow, with support provided by National Pony
Express Association volunteers. This demonstration area, within easy
view of the Nordic events, will feature buffalo, wild horses, Native
Americans and other western Americana icons and will be managed
through a cooperative state and federal effort. The Olympic torch
relay begins on December 4th and enters Utah on February 4th, with
visits to Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP (all on the same
day). The torch will pass through a total of 22 NPS sites across the
country, with major events scheduled at four or five of those areas.
For additional information, see the following web sites:
NPS involvement (Intranet only): http://im.den.nps.gov/den_olyDR.cfm
Visitor information: www.saltlakeinfo.org
Interagency public lands information: www.fs.fed.us/r4/2002/apl
Information on nearby NPS sites: www.npsolympics2002.org
General Olympics information: http://www.slc2002.org
Additional updates will appear in future Morning Reports. [Larry
Frederick, IMT, 11/29]
Monday, December 10, 2001
00-661 - Arches NP (UT) - Follow-up: Resource Violations
On the morning of September 19, 2000, visitors reported that fires had been
set in the area immediately around Delicate Arch. Investigating rangers
found that four fires had apparently been lit on the previous night, one of
which was still smoldering. Three of the fires, set on bare rock and sand
directly underneath and beside Delicate Arch, caused scorching and
discoloration of the red sandstone. Efforts by local park staff to restore
the fire scars were unsuccessful, in part because of the presence of an oily
or waxy substance that stained and penetrated into the rock surface beneath
each of the scars. An intensive investigation led to the identification of
M.F., 36, of Springdale, Utah, as the man who had set the fires.
On October 19th, M.F. was charged in federal court with several violations
of federal law in connection with these fires and others set at Canyonlands
NP. On December 7th, M.F. pled guilty to seven misdemeanor charges for
injuring/defacing mineral resources in a national park, setting an
unauthorized fire in a national park, lighting/using a fire that damaged or
burned park resources, leaving a fire unextinguished on public lands, and
aiding and abetting. As a part of the plea agreement, M.F. agreed to
"personally make full restitution to the National Park Service (Arches NP
and Canyonlands NP) for the offenses charged." The sentencing hearing will
be held on February 1st. For additional information on this incident, see
the October 26th Morning Report. [Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH, 12/7]
Monday, January 28, 2002
01-043 - Intermountain Region - Follow-up: Special Event - 2002 Winter
Olympics
The Intermountain Region/Midwest Region incident management team has
established an incident command post in the BLM state office building in
downtown Salt Lake City in support of the NPS involvement in the upcoming winter
Olympics. The IMT has had a presence in Salt Lake since January 9th, and the
full team will be in place effective today. The phone number for the information
desk at the ICP is 801-539-4273 and will be staffed daily throughout the games,
which end on February 24th. The IMT should be released on or about February
28th. Around 140 National Park Service personnel will be involved in supporting
the games, including members of the IMT, personnel already stationed in Salt
Lake, staff from Timpanogos Cave NM and Golden Spike NHS, law enforcement
personnel assigned to the games, and staff who will work at the media centers,
the host city's visitor center, the Pony Express exhibit at Soldier Hollow
(venue for Nordic events), the Discover Navajo 2002 exhibit, and information
stations at Snowbasin ski area and Soldier Hollow. The incident has become an
interagency effort, with BLM, the Forest Service and Utah State Parks joining
the NPS to form the "America's Public Lands" coalition and cooperating at all
levels, including filling positions on the IMT. The IMT and NPS staff in Salt
Lake are also supporting requests for assistance from the offices of the
Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the National Park Service. The
opening of the games, which occurs on the night of Friday, February 8th, will be
proceeded by the Olympic torch relay, which passed through Yellowstone NP on
January 27th and will enter Utah at Delicate Arch in Arches NP on the morning of
February 4th and continue on through Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP the same day.
[Larry Frederick, Deputy Ops Chief, IMT, 1/25]
Wednesday, February 6, 2002
01-043 - Intermountain Region - Follow-up: Special Event - 2002 Winter
Olympics
The Olympic torch made its official entry into the state of Utah on February
4th in a dramatic sunrise ceremony beneath Delicate Arch in Arches National
Park. On hand to witness the flame enter Utah were the director, the governor of
Utah and other dignitaries, all of whom made the mile-and-a-half hike to the
arch in the dark in temperatures well below freezing. Media from around the
globe covered the event live from both Delicate Arch and from the Windows
section of the park. Some 400 members of the public viewed the entry from the
bowl beneath Delicate Arch. The events within the park and the subsequent torch
relay through the nearby community of Moab presented a huge logistical
challenge, with some 150 personnel dedicated to the event. Grand County SO and
Moab PD were the primary players in a unified command structure with the NPS;
support and personnel were supplied by Moab FD, Grand County SAR, Grand County
Ambulance, BLM, Utah State Parks and Moab Public Works. Local outfitters
supplied shuttle buses and drivers to provide transportation to both media and
members of the public. Included among the torchbearers were Arches employees
Gary Haynes and Natalie Hettman and Canyonlands employee Dan Greenblatt. Arches
chief ranger Jim Webster was the IC. [Paul Henderson, IIO, IMT, 2/5]
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
00-661 - Arches NP (UT) - Follow-up: Resource Violations
On the morning of September 19, 2000, visitors reported that fires had been
set in the area immediately around Delicate Arch. Investigating rangers
found that four fires had apparently been lit on the previous night, one of
which was still smoldering. Three of the fires, set on bare rock and sand
directly underneath and beside Delicate Arch, caused scorching and
discoloration of the red sandstone. Efforts by local park staff to restore
the fire scars were unsuccessful, in part because of the presence of an
oily or waxy substance that stained and penetrated into the rock surface
beneath each of the scars. An intensive investigation led to the
identification of M.F., 36, of Springdale, Utah, as the man who
had set the fires. On October 19,2001, M.F. was charged in federal court
with several violations of federal law in connection with these fires and
others set at Canyonlands NP. Restoration efforts were largely successful.
Two of the three fire scars are no longer visible, and the worst of the
three fire scars - the one directly beneath the arch - looks much better
than before, though still visible. On December 7, 2001, M.F. pled guilty
to seven misdemeanor charges for injuring/defacing mineral resources in a
national park, setting an unauthorized fire in a national park,
lighting/using a fire that damaged or burned park resources, leaving a fire
unextinguished on public lands, and aiding and abetting. As a part of the
plea agreement, M.F. agreed to "personally make full restitution to the
National Park Service (Arches NP and Canyonlands NP) for the offenses
charged." The park subsequently recently received a cashier's check in the
amount of $10,922.90. On February 1st, M.F. was sentenced to two years'
probation, during which time he will not be allowed to enter Canyonlands or
Arches National Parks. He will also be serving 150 hours of community
service. [Karen McKinlay-Jones, ARCH, 2/12]
Friday, December 20, 2002
02-637 - Arches National Park (UT) - Pursuit and Arrest of Armed Felon
On December 6, the pursuit of an armed man who had stolen a Utah
Highway Patrol (UHP) cruiser was resolved when he was arrested less than
a half mile north of the remote northeast boundary of Arches. Over 30
officers and two aircraft from seven agencies, including two Arches
rangers, were involved in the pursuit and ensuing manhunt. After
crashing the patrol car on a rugged two-track road, the handcuffed
suspect, L.S., stole an assault rifle from the trunk of the
car and fled on foot. An Arches ranger was dispatched to secure the
eastern flank of the search area and evacuate a 15-person NPS exotic
vegetation crew working in the Lost Spring Canyon part of the park. The
ranger was the first officer to make contact with L.S., who was near
the NPS work crew vehicles. A minute later, two UHP officers with a
police dog arrived. L.S. was arrested without incident following a
short foot chase. The rifle was recovered several days later about a
mile from the arrest site. [Submitted by Jim Webster, Chief
Ranger]
Friday, December 20, 2002
02-638 - Arches National Park (UT) - Pursuit and Arrest of Tractor-Trailer Operator
On December 17, five Arches and Canyonlands rangers assisted local
law enforcement agencies in securing Highway 191 through and near Moab,
including the Arches entrance road, when a semi tractor-trailer driver
led police on a dangerous high speed chase through two states and down
the main street of Moab. The operators, M.P. of Salt Lake City,
had driven through two roadblocks and had his tires flattened by road
spikes. He told police via telephone and CB radio that "you guys will
have to kill me, I'm not stopping." The truck was finally stopped four
miles north of the park entrance, but only after the trailer's air brake
lines had been disabled by gunshots fired by a Utah Highway Patrol
supervisor, causing the rear wheels of the trailer to seize up. M.P.
was finally arrested after officers broke the truck window to get to
him. [Submitted by Jim Webster, Chief Ranger]
Friday, May 21, 2004
Arches National Park (UT)
Lost Women Found Following Major SAR
B.G., 68, of Hemet, California, became lost near the
Devils Garden Campground on the afternoon of May 13th. She became
separated from the rest of her party while hiking on the Broken Arch
Trail and was found by searchers 22 hours later thirsty, hungry
and tired, but otherwise in good condition. Park and Grand County SAR
ground searchers, with the assistance of a scent dog, found her
footprints late in the evening of May 13th in rough, canyon-cut
slickrock terrain and began tracking her. Replacement ground
searchers continued tracking her the next morning and were joined later
by a Civil Air Patrol plane and two helicopters, one from Mesa Verde NP
and the other from the Utah Department of Public Safety. Over 50 people
were involved in the search from Arches, Canyonlands and Mesa Verde and
seven other federal, state and local agencies, including the U.S.
Geological Survey, Civil Air Patrol, BLM, Utah Highway Patrol, Grand
County Sheriff's Department and Search and Rescue, and Moab Valley Fire
Protection District. The incident received significant regional media
interest. [Submitted by Jim Webster, IC]
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Arches National Park (UT)
Homicide in Park
The Grand County Sheriff's Office began receiving 911 calls reporting
a traffic accident involving a fatality and burning car just inside the
park around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August
10th. Responding emergency personnel from several agencies found a
burning car in the middle of the Moab Fault Overlook pullout, a man
sitting in the driver's seat of the burning car (later identified as
J.R.C., Jr., 26, of Richwood, Texas), a pickup truck 40
feet down an embankment, other injured people, and a fatally injured
woman (later identified as R.R., 34, of Seabrook, Texas)
lying on the ground in front of the burning car. First responders
performed CPR on R.R., but she was pronounced dead at the
scene. J.R.C. was able to exit from the car before it became
totally engulfed in flames and was treated for minor injuries. The
family of three who were in the pickup truck that went over the
embankment, including a year-old baby, escaped with minor injuries.
Witnesses told investigating officers that they had seen R.R. and
J.R.C. arguing and fighting just prior to the vehicle accident, and
that J.R.C. had run over R.R. immediately before striking the
pickup truck and sending it and its occupants over the edge.
J.R.C. was treated for his injuries at a local hospital, then taken
into custody. Arraignment in state district court occurred on
Tuesday. Charges brought against J.R.C. by the Grand County attorney
included one count of criminal homicide, three counts of attempted
homicide, one count of felony DUI, two counts of assault-domestic
violence, one count of aggravated assault, and several traffic
violations. The Grand County Sheriff's Office and Utah Highway
Patrol are investigating the case, with support from the National Park
Service. Other agencies assisting were the Moab Fire Department, Grand
County EMS, Moab City Police and Grand County Search and
Rescue.[Submitted by Jim Webster, Chief Ranger]
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Arches National Park (UT)
Follow-up on Homicide at Moab Fault Overlook
On Tuesday, September 7th, a preliminary hearing was held in state
court in Moab regarding the August 10th traffic accident/homicide that
occurred at the Moab Fault overlook. James Cunningham pled not guilty to
ten criminal counts:
- One count of felony first degree murder
- Three counts of felony second degree attempted murder.
- One count of felony third degree DUI.
- One count of Class B misdemeanor aggravated assault.
- Two counts of Class B misdemeanor DV assault.
- One count of Class C misdemeanor speeding (60 mph in a 30 mph zone).
- One count of Class C misdemeanor improper usage of lanes.
The judge bound him over for trial and he remains in custody. The
trial is set for February 7th. Click on the following for the
original report on this incident: http://data2.itc.nps.gov/morningreport/morningreportold.cfm?date=2004%2D08%2D19%2000%3A00%3A00
[Submitted by Jim Webster, Chief Ranger]
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Arches National Park (UT)
Falling Fatality
On Sunday, March 27th, an 18-year-old man from Orem, Utah, fell to his
death near the boat ramp area along the Colorado River. The fatality was
within the legislated boundary of Arches National Park but occurred in a
section of land that is patented to Grand County for recreational
purposes. The fall was not witnessed, but evidence suggests that
he was scrambling up a cliff when he fell approximately 15 to 20 feet,
then tumbled another 15 to 20 feet. He sustained massive facial and head
trauma in the fall. Although he had companions with him that day, they'd
left the area. His body was found late in the afternoon, but it's
believed that he fell earlier in the day. The Grand County Sheriff's
Office is taking the lead in the investigation.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Arches NP
Pursuit, Attempted Assault On Rangers
Rangers Karen McKinlay-Jones and Will See were returning
from a SAR incident in separate patrol vehicles around 11:30 p.m. on
August 27th when they encountered a vehicle traveling into the park at a
high rate of speed. An attempt to stop the vehicle five miles into the
park was unsuccessful. As the rangers pursued, the driver - later
identified as K.T., 36, of Bradenton, Florida - turned around
and headed back towards the entrance. The rangers were unable to catch
up, so requested assistance from the Grand County Sheriff's Department.
While searching a turnout for the vehicle, See had to take evasive
action to avoid having his cruiser struck as K.T. hastily left the
overlook. McKinlay-Jones and a county deputy attempted to stop the
vehicle at the park entrance. K.T. headed directly toward the parked
patrol vehicles, swerving away at the last second as he left the park.
County deputies and Moab city officers stopped him just outside the park
by using a moving roadblock. At their request, the two rangers assisted
with the arrest. The county will be prosecuting the case. K.T. has
been charged with excessive speed, fleeing, attempted aggravated assault
and operating a vehicle with faulty equipment. [Denny Ziemann, Chief
Ranger]
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Southern Utah Group
Major Motorcycle Gang Rally Held In Region
Between August 21st and August 24th, law enforcement staff
from Canyonlands and Arches, assisted by personnel from Glen Canyon,
Black Canyon, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges and Glen Canyon, joined other
regional law enforcement officers - a total of 200 - in working a large
motorcycle rally in Grand County and the city of Moab, Utah. During that
period, the Banditos motorcycle club held its annual meeting in Grand
County. About 700 members attended. An interagency incident command team
was formed and spent several months preparing for the event. Park law
enforcement staff assisted in the planning efforts. Under agreements
with local sheriffs' departments, rangers participated in activities
outside of the parks but were in return supported by the other officers.
The high-profile enforcement strategy employed proved successful, as
incidents and arrests were over minor infractions and infrequent. Both
Canyonlands and Arches were visited by club members, but with no impact
to the two parks. [Denny Ziemann, Chief Ranger, Canyonlands/Arches]
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Arches NP
Searchers Find And Save Man Lost In Park
A 75-year-old man left his wife and dog in their vehicle
to take a short walk to Turret Arch for photos on the afternoon of
Sunday, June 6th. Temperatures at the time were above 100 degrees and he
had neither water nor food with him. When he failed to return, his wife
went looking for him; when that effort proved fruitless, she contacted
the park. Arches staff, later assisted by Grand County Sheriff's
Department personnel and county SAR team members, staff from
Canyonlands, and a BLM helitack module, conducted a search that lasted
throughout the night. Dogs, a helicopter and ground searchers were
deployed during the season's first period of extreme heat. Ground
searchers found the man lying on a rock and not moving about 24 hours
into the search. He was semiconscious and incoherent. A park medic from
Canyonlands conducted an assessment and provided care, then flew with
the man to Allen Memorial Hospital in Moab. He was eventually
transferred to St Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, where he's
receiving treatment for a fractured wrist and kidney failure resulting
from heat-related illnesses. [Denny Ziemann, Chief Ranger]
Monday, March 24, 2014
Arches NP
Visitor Sustains Serious Injuries In Hundred-Foot Fall
On March 12th, a 22-year-old man who had scrambled to the
top of a rock fin near the park's primitive loop was standing on a rock
that crumbled under him, causing him to free fall about 100 feet to the
dry wash below and inflicting critical, life-threatening injuries.
Two visiting paramedics rendered care and were able to
communicate using the campground host's radio, who was on a hike and
responded to the scene.
A team of maintenance, road crew, fee, reservation and
resource personnel, some of them in the vicinity, were lead on a rescue
operation by visitor and resource protection staff. The injured man was
packaged and carried out a quarter mile on a litter to a waiting
helicopter and then flown to a hospital.
The rapid response contributed to the saving of the man's life.
[Kevin Moore, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Friday, July 18, 2014
Arches NP
High Temperatures Cause Series Of Heat-Related Emergencies
The park experienced a series of heat-related medical
emergencies involving seven visitors and one employee within a period of
just over 24 hours last weekend. High temperatures both days were in the
100 to 104 degree range. Of this total, three were taken by ambulance to
a local hospital and a fourth was flown to another hospital in Grand
Junction. The remaining four were treated and released.
Just before 2 p.m., on Saturday, July 12th, rangers
received a report of a woman having a heart attack on the Delicate Arch
viewpoint trail. The first rangers to arrive were unable to find her on
the trail, but were soon flagged down by the occupants of a vehicle near
Wolfe Ranch. Two men inside who'd just come off that trail were
suffering from heat exhaustion. They were treated by park personnel and
Grand County EMS.
Around 8:30 that evening, a report was received of an
unconscious man near Delicate Arch. Park, Grand County SAR and Grand
County EMS personnel responded, hiking a mile and a half up from the
trailhead. The man was treated for heart issues arising from heat stroke
throughout the rescue and litter carryout. He was taken to Moab Regional
Hospital
EMS incidents resumed the following afternoon when rangers
received a report of an unconscious man near Delicate Arch. Park and
Grand County personnel again responded, treated the man on scene, and
littered him out to the trailhead. He refused further treatment and
transportation to the hospital.
While the above rescue was in progress, an interpretive
ranger preparing for a guided hike reported coming up an unconscious man
in the Fiery Furnace parking lot. The responding ranger found an
incoherent man with tingling in his arms and legs. A woman in the car
was suffering from severe headache and cramping. Both were taken by
ambulance to the hospital.
A third EMS emergency was reported while the above
incidents were underway. Around 4:30 p.m., the same ranger who'd called
in the above incident was leading the guided hike when a visitor
collapsed. The ranger reported that the woman was unconscious and that
she could not obtain a radial pulse. EMS personnel who were still in the
Fiery Furnace parking lot headed down the trail. The woman was assessed
and found to be suffering from heat stroke. She was flown by helicopter
to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction.
Finally, at the conclusion of the Delicate Arch carryout,
one member of the park SAR team was treated on scene for heat
exhaustion.
[Michael Henry, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Arches NP
BASE Jumper Sentenced For Illegal Jump In Park
On May 2, 2014, several witnesses and an
NPS employee saw a person HYPERLINK
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASE_jumping" BASE
jump from the top of the Three Gossips formation
in Arches National Park.
Park rangers responded and tracked
footprints in the area until they found the BASE jumper, A.L.,
hiding among rocks. A.L. was arrested and charged with five
violations.
On December 18, 2014, A.L. pled guilty
to providing false information, illegal air delivery, and interfering
with agency functions. He was fined $965 and was placed on
non-supervisory probation for 18 months. Conditions of A.L.'s probation
include no criminal activity, no entrance into any national park or
monument, and no contact with National Park Service employees.
A.L.'s enhanced probation is the result
of repeated illegal air delivery charges in more than one NPS unit.
A.L. is not allowed entry into any NPS unit until November 2, 2015.
The case ranger was Liza Kent.
[Kevin Moore, Supervisory Park Ranger]
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
National Park System
Day 33: The Government Shutdown Rolls On
So Does Utah The State of Utah paid more than $66,000
to federal workers to provide custodial operations and work in visitor
centers, park stores and some campgrounds in four national parks in the
state between December 21st and January 11th (the story was posted on
January 14th, so does not cover the period since then). Rangers were
also paid with state money; they are safeguarding park roads and
resources in Arches, Zion, and Bryce Canyon NPs. A handful of employees
were also on the job in Canyonlands NP. Counties, cities, and
nongovernmental organizations are also kicking in some funds. Zion
facilities remain open thanks to donations from Washington County, St.
George, and the Zion National Park Forever Project. Canyonlands Natural
History Association is providing funding for Arches and Canyonlands.
Bryce Canyon Natural History Association is helping fund operations in
that park. Source: Bloomberg Environment.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Arches NP
Two Killed, One Injured In Fall At Delicate Arch
A man and a woman died last Friday morning when they fell into the
bowl area near Delicate Arch; a third, younger man, also fell and was
injured.
Rangers were notified of the fall around 7:30 a.m. The area was
closed while an investigation was conducted, then reopened later that
afternoon.
It's unclear if weather played a role in the accident, although it
had been raining and snowing in the park. Those conditions can make the
trail leading to the arch slippery.
The deceased were identified as a 65-year-old man and a 60-year-old
female; a 30-year-old man was injured. All were from California and
appear to be related.
Source: Paighten Harkins, Salt Lake Tribune.
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Arches NP
Family Of Visitor Killed By Swinging Gate Suing NPS
The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda has filed a more
than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the
National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured park
gate.
Newlyweds E."E."N., 25, and L."L."M.,
26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip last June 13th
when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the
side of their car "like a hot knife through butter," according to the
administrative claim, which was filed in October. The gate narrowly
missed L.M., who is originally from Paris but now lives in
Denver.
Attorney Deborah Chang, who filed the claim on behalf of L.M., as
well as E.N.'s parents, wrote that the National Park Service has
for years used entrance and exit gates made of metal poles with
"spear-like sharp ends," and they were known to swing into roadways when
left unsecured.
Employees "knew or should have known that winds strong enough to
carve stone are certainly strong enough to blow an unrestrained metal
pipe gate into the path of an oncoming vehicle," wrote Chang, who plans
to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected..
The National Park Service and Arches National Park are accused of not
securing the gate, which was installed to swing in the wrong direction
and was being held open by a "flimsy metal tab" that was "worn down and
rounded," according to the claim.
Source: Thomas Peipert, Associated Press, via ABC News.
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Arches National Park
TV star assists hiker that fainted
On August 7, a hiker became light-headed due to dehydration while on
her way to Delicate Arch. She fainted, fell off the rock she was sitting
on, and landed face-first on slickrock. J.B., who plays Claire
Dunphy on the popular television show "Modern Family", and her sister, a
doctor, responded and treated the hiker's injuries and gave her
electrolytes and snacks. The hiker was taken to Moab Hospital, where she
was diagnosed with a fractured nose and given five stitches.
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Arches National Park
150 lbs of trash removed from illegal camp
Backcountry rangers recently cleaned up an illegal camp. They hauled
out 150 pounds of trash, including tarps, clothing, a foam mattress, and
other gear. The park posted about it on its social media. Source: The
Spectrum
October 5, 2022
Arches National Park
Hiker found deceased
On October 1, NPS staff found an individual's body in the Devils Garden
area. Personnel from the NPS and Grand County recovered the individual's
body and took them to the Utah Office of Medical Examiner for
identification and to determine the cause of death. Source: Salt Lake
Tribune
October 19, 2022
Arches National Park
Follow-up on Previously Reported Incident
The person whose body was found and recovered from the Devils Garden
area of the park on October 1 was successfully identified. The cause of
death is still unknown, and details of the investigation, such as
whether foul play is suspected, have not been released. Source: KUTV
December 14, 2022
Arches National Park
Follow-up on Previously Reported Incident
A trial against the NPS began on December 5 for a 25-year-old visitor
who was killed when an unsecured park gate blew into their vehicle in
2020. The trial concluded on December 12 and a verdict is pending. The
plaintiffs are seeking $140 million in damages. Source: KNAU, KSL
February 8, 2023
Arches National Park
Follow-up on Previously Reported Incident
On January 27, the family of the 25-year-old visitor who was killed by a
metal park gate that swung into a personal vehicle in June 2020 was
awarded a sum of over $10.5 million in U.S. District Court. Source: KJZZ
March 8, 2023
Arches National Park
Hiker fatality
On February 24, a 71-year-old visitor collapsed while hiking with
family. Rescuers from Classic Air Medical, the NPS, Bureau of Land
Management, and Grand County (UT) responded. Rescuers attempted to
resuscitate the individual, but they were unsuccessful. The incident is
under investigation by the NPS and Grand County. Source: Arches National
Park
March 22, 2023
Arches National Park
Hiker fatality
On March 12, a 56-year-old went into cardiac arrest on the Devils Garden
Trail. CPR was performed by others on scene. Personnel from Grand County
Sheriff's Department, Grand County EMS, and Classic Air Medical also
responded. The individual was unable to be resuscitated and was
pronounced deceased at the scene. Source: Arches National Park
May 24, 2023
Arches National Park
Fatality
On May 15, rangers were alerted to a report of CPR in progress on a
73-year-old at Devils Garden Campground. Personnel from the NPS, Grand
County Sheriff's Department, and Grand County EMS responded.
Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and the individual was
pronounced deceased at the scene. Source: Arches National Park
June 7, 2023
Arches National Park
Hiker fatality
On May 25, a 69-year-old had a medical emergency on the Primitive Loop
section of the Devils Garden Trail. CPR was administered, but
unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Personnel from the NPS, Grand County (UT) EMS, and a Life Flight
helicopter were involved in the response. Source: KSL TV
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Arches National Park
Hiker fatality
A 66-year-old was reported overdue while traveling in the park. Their
car was found in the Sand Dune Arch Trail parking lot. NPS staff began a
search in the area and found the individual deceased in an off-trail
location near the trailhead. An investigation by the NPS and Grand
County Sheriff's Office is ongoing. Source: Arches National Park
August 23, 2023
Arches National Park
Follow-up on Previously Reported Incident
Further details have been released about the 66-year-old who was found
dead in the area of Sand Dunes Arch parking lot (8/9/23 Coalition
Report). The individual was found 2.5 miles from the parking lot,
off-trail. They likely went on a longer hike that morning and perished
on a second, shorter hike that afternoon. Their water bottle was empty,
they were taking a medication that leads to dehydration, and
temperatures were over 100°F. An official cause of death has not been
determined, but heat and altitude are considered "relevant factors."
Source: Associated Press
September 6, 2023
Arches National Park
Bat bites visitor
Park staff have observed a pattern of "unusual" bat behavior in the
park, including a visitor getting bitten. On August 18, a bat at the
visitor center was confirmed to have rabies. The park is encouraging
anyone who has had contact with a bat in the park to get tested
immediately. Source: Idaho Statesman
December 13, 2023
Arches National Park
Hiker fall
On December 10, a 26-year-old was climbing down a sandstone fin on the
Devils Garden Primitive Trail when the rock collapsed. The individual
injured their lower leg in the fall. Paramedics from Grand County (UT)
EMS and the park's search and rescue team carried the individual over a
mile of rugged terrain via a wheeled litter to an ambulance. Source:
Idaho Statesman
September 4, 2024
Arches National Park
Hiker fatality
On August 20, a 58-year-old became unresponsive on the Delicate Arch
Trail. CPR was started by others who were present on-scene, and staff
from the NPS, Grand County (UT) Sheriff's Department, Grand County EMS,
and Classic Air Medical responded to the scene. Resuscitation efforts
were unsuccessful and the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident is under investigation by the Grand County Sheriff's Office
and NPS. Source: Arches National Park
September 4, 2024
Arches National Park
Missing person
On August 23, NPS staff became aware of an abandoned rental car at the
Sand Dune Arch trailhead. They were able to track the vehicle entering
the park on August 16, driven by a 76-year-old. Their family had last
seen them on August 13. The park began a search on August 24, including
personnel from the NPS, Grand County (UT) Search and Rescue, and a
Bureau of Land Management helicopter from the Moab Interagency Fire
Center. The park is looking for any information the public can provide.
Source: Arches National Park
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