Black Canyon of the Gunnison |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-current. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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June 20, 1988 Location: North Chasm View Wall R.P.S. was the lead climber in an area known for soft, loose rock, when a hand or foot hold came loose causing him to fall. All his protection pieces pulled from the stone, causing him to fall 120 feet. R.P.S. struck his head before his belay partner could arrest the fall. His partners secured his body before climbing to safety. Rescue attempts have been hampered by the loose rock and precarious location of the body. The Rocky Mountain Rescue Group has been called in and is currently attempting to retrieve the body with the aid of a helicopter.
Sometime during the night of June 13th, a burglar entered park headquarters through a window and burglarized the visitor center and offices. All offices were entered and vandalized, and two safes and a gun cabinet were forced open. Among the missing items are two handguns, about $200 in imprest cash, money belonging to Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, and keys to all park facilities and vehicles. An investigation was conducted by the Montrose police department. The FBI has been notified, and the missing weapons have been entered into NCIC. The office has been sealed off because of possible asbestos contamination from the broken safes; samples of insulation material have been sent out for analysis. (Superintendent, BLCA, via CompuServe message from RAD/RMRO).
On the evening of August 12th, rangers received a report of an injured hiker at the bottom of SOB Draw on the Gunnison River. P.G., 16, of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, had been hiking with his family earlier that day when he slipped on rocks and fell into the river. The Gunnison, which was flowing at 755 cfs, carried P.G. over three short waterfalls before he was able to swim to shore on the opposite side of the river from his family. P.G. suffered abrasions and a possible broken leg in the incident. His family was unable to reach him, but was able to throw supplies across the river while others went for help. Rangers were not able to respond that evening because oncoming darkness made descent via the steep and hazardous route to the river too dangerous a proposition, but ranger Vance Carter got to him early the following morning. Since P.G. was at a spot which was unreachable by trail and there was no landing site available, a helicopter was used to hoist Carter to P.G. and then bring both of them back to the north side of the river. P.G. was then transported to Delta for further medical attention. [Dave Roberts, CR, BLCA, 8/13]
Just before 9 p.m. on the evening of August 27th, visitors attending an evening campfire program near the South Rim campground reported hearing screams for help. Rangers and an SCA responded and contacted a woman who was extremely distraught, screaming for her boyfriend (who was not in the area), and threatening to take her own life. Three Montrose County deputies also responded and advised that the woman had reportedly been a victim of a rape (still under investigation) three days before. Efforts to calm the woman, who became verbally abusive and huddled under dense oak scrub, proved largely fruitless. She attempted to flee, but was halted and taken into protective custody. It was determined that she was unarmed, and she was subsequently taken to the county sheriff's office for mental evaluation and post-rape assistance. [Dave Roberts, CR, BLCA, 8/27]
On October 3rd, an inner-canyon hiker reported that another backpacker had suffered severe foot and ankle injuries during a descent down SOB Draw. a ranger hiked in the following morning and contacted the 39-year-old hiker, who had discoloration and swelling of the injured foot and ankle. Due to the extremely steep terrain and the 2,000-foot ascent needed to make it out of the draw, a helicopter was employed to evacuate the victim to the canyon rim. He was then transported by friends to a hospital for evaluation and treatment. [Dave Roberts, CR, BLCA, 10/8]
On the morning of October 25th, the dispatcher at the Delta County sheriff's office received a report that a woman with a broken ankle or leg needed assistance in the river's inner canyon near SOB Draw. The responding ranger met the woman's husband at the North Rim ranger station and learned that she had slipped and broken her ankle at the bottom of the draw the previous day. Due to the rugged nature of the route and extreme gradient, a helicopter was summoned to assist in the rescue. Rangers and EMT's were airlifted into the canyon. They evaluated the victim and prepared her for evacuation. She was flown to the rim, then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. [Dave Roberts, BLCA, 10/30]
Around 1 p.m. on January 8th, two brothers hiking near Tomichi Point on the canyon's south rim found scattered clothing and parts of a wrecked vehicle just north of the overlook. They followed the debris downhill until they discovered the body of a man leaning against a large rock. A 911 call was made, and park, county and state units responded. Initial investigation revealed that a 1972 Ford pickup driven by M.M., 41, had left the north edge of the Tomichi parking lot at a speed of 40-45 mph, sailed over 50 feet before returning to ground, continued north until striking a tree, then plunged over a series of ledges until coming to rest about 900 feet below the rim. M.M. had been thrown from the vehicle about 300 feet down; he was able to climb some 75 feet uphill, where it appears he stopped to rest in a standing position against a lone rock outcropping but died before able to move further. A multi-agency team carried the body out of the canyon, where it was transported to Montrose. An autopsy is to be conducted today, and a joint park-county investigation is underway. It appears that the incident occurred on January 6th or 7th; it has not yet been classified as accidental because several questions pertaining to the case are still unanswered. The truck ended its downhill plunge partially suspended over a ledge, with the engine block lying about 15 feet away. Personal effects and wreckage are scattered all along the route of descent. Cleanup and removal of the wreckage will be extremely difficult and will not be attempted until late spring or summer. [CRO, BLCA, 1/11]
On December 29th, a Delta Correctional Facility officer notified the park than an inmate working as a member of a supervised crew assigned to the park might attempt to receive contraband in the vicinity of Gunnison Point. State correction officers had the area under surveillance when inmate J.S. uncovered a package wrapped in electrical tape, examined it, then reburied it in the snow. The package, which contained 55 grams of marijuana, was seized, and J.S. was subsequently "retaken" into custody. Although the street value is not exceptionally high, its prison value has been estimated at between $3,000 and $4,000. J.S. is being held on several counts which may significantly extend his stay in the correction facility. His wife and mother were subsequently arrested as collaborators. The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the park. [CRO, BLCA, 1/11]
Around 6 a.m. on August 14th, Dr. M.C., 30, of Lexington, Kentucky, was hiking by himself down Cruise Gully, a technical climbing route on the North Rim, when he lost his balance and fell about 12 feet, suffering a broken left ankle and injury to his right knee. M.C. had no climbing gear with him. Fortunately, he was found by two climbers, who carried him part way up the gully, then went for help. Black Canyon and Curecanti rangers, local fire, EMS and rescue units, and an air life helicopter joined in the rescue effort. It took several hours to prepare rigging and lift the patient several hundred feet up steep slopes and sheer walls to the canyon rim. A severe storm with lightning and heavy rains struck during the rescue effort. M.C. was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair his ankle. About 45 people cooperated in the rescue, which involved a major effort in less than ideal weather conditions. [Dave Roberts, BLCA, 8/21]
On September 2nd, 28-year-old Q.H. and his hiking companions attempted to swim across the Gunnison river at a large pool. The river was flowing at 1100 cfs (cubic feet per second) at the time. Q.H. was the first to enter the river, and was quickly swept downstream. His companions watched him pass through one set of rapids, then disappear in a second and very turbulent set of rapids. Members of the party searched the area for three hours, then climbed out of the canyon to report the incident. Park and BLM rangers and members of a local SAR team searched the river. Q.H. disappeared at a point where the rapids are followed by a huge boulder field where the river literally disappears beneath the surface for about 100 yards. The river level was lowered to 300 cfs, and two air-scent search dogs were brought to the area. The dogs were flown in by helicopter, then put into backpacks to traverse a steep cliff in order to reach the site. The dogs alerted several times within the area. Two county divers with experience in whitewater diving and rescue traversed the river with boogie boards and a pike pole, but were unable to locate Q.H.'s body. The remaining portion of the search area is too treacherous to enter. It's believed that the body is lodged under a rock in the rapids or submerged beneath the boulder field. The search was suspended on September 5th. Although Q.H. and his companions were familiar with the area, they hadn't registered their trip with rangers, as required. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA/CURE]
R.H., 35, of San Antonio, Texas, and a friend were riding their motorcycles on South Rim Drive at 8:30 a.m. on May 14th when R.H.'s companion noticed in his rear view mirror that R.H. was no longer visible. He turned back to look for him and found him lying unconscious in the middle of the road. He asked a passing motorist to call for help. The park's chief ranger and a maintenance employee were the first park staff on scene. Although R.H. had a slight pulse and was still breathing, he soon went into full arrest. CPR was begun and Montrose responding paramedics provided advanced life support, but R.H. was pronounced dead on arrival at the Montrose hospital. He succumbed from massive head injuries, even though he was wearing a helmet and had been driving at only 35 mph. Evidence at the scene indicates that he struck a deer. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE]
On September 11th, ranger Amy Bergonzi was assisting with an end of season trash cleanup in the canyon, which was being done with the aid of a helicopter, when she saw a man parachute from the Painted Wall. The man, later identified as J.R., 32, of Portland, Oregon, apparently did not see the helicopter prior to his jump, and was surprised when it arrived at his location minutes after he landed. J.R. was cited for failure to obtain an inner canyon permit and unauthorized air delivery (the regulation which deals with illegal parachuting). His chute, helmet, and helmet-mounted video camera were seized as evidence. [Bob Cornelius, DR, BLCA]
S.P., 36, of Denver, Colorado, went on a solo climb of the Leisure Route in Cruise Gully late last week. When he failed to return as scheduled, his father reported him overdue to district ranger Bob Cornelius. Cornelius and S.P.'s father checked the route he indicated on his backcountry permit and found his body on a ledge 200 to 300 feet below the North Rim. Preliminary investigation indicates that he was climbing the route alone and unaided. He was reportedly an experienced climber, with over 75 ascents, mostly solo, this year, including routes in Black Canyon. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA]
C.K., 27, a member of the U.S. kayak team from Stowe, Vermont, drowned on August 14th when he became pinned against a boulder while attempting to run a treacherous portion of the Gunnison River. C.K. was in a party of six, including two of his brothers, who were kayaking the river when he attempted to kayak a section of the river that is normally portaged. The bow of his kayak became pinned beneath a boulder as he lost momentum while passing through a short falls. The other members of the party were able to tie a line to the stern, but the river flow of 1200 cubic feet per second (cfs) prevented them from dislodging the kayak. The incident was reported, river levels were lowered to 600 cfs, and rangers and members of two local rescue teams were able to reach and remove C.K.'s body and his kayak. During the investigation, one member of the party said that he still thought the rapid could be run. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA/CURE, 8/18]
On July 11th, eleven-year-old R.F. of Davie, Florida, was struck by a football-size rock dislodged by her father while they were hiking the Gunnison route into the Black Canyon. The impact hurled her about a dozen feet into a tree. The accident occurred about three-quarters of the way down the route and 1,500 vertical feet from the rim. Initial assessment at the scene by a visiting doctor and park EMS personnel indicated the strong possibility of a broken pelvis, other fractures, and potential internal injuries. An evacuation involving 24 park employees from all divisions was made which required three pitches up extremely steep talus and rock ravines. The entire evacuation took eight and a half hours. R.F. was treated and released from the Montrose hospital; as it turned out, she had suffered only superficial wounds and bruising. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 7/16]
Campground hosts spotted a boat belonging to W.K., 49, of Denver, who was camping in the area, adrift and unoccupied in the Soap Creek arm of Blue Mesa reservoir. W.K.'s dog was found swimming in a circular pattern in the same area and was near exhaustion. Hasty searches were conducted by foot and aircraft, but no sign of W.K. was found. Investigators have determined that W.K. probably dove into the lake to retrieve a snagged fishing lure and probably drowned. Efforts to find his body included use of a scent dog, shoreline patrols, and five dives over a two-day period. All were unsuccessful. This is the third drowning over a four-month period at Curecanti; none of the bodies has yet been recovered. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 7/16]
On October 7th, 30-year-old S.P. of Snowmass, Colorado, was camping with a female companion in the developed campground on the park's North Rim. S.P. and another camper left the campground around 11 p.m. and walked to the rim of the canyon. While sitting near the cliff's edge, they saw S.P.'s cat, which had been running loose throughout the evening. S.P. reportedly stood up in an attempt to retrieve the cat, lost his footing, and fell approximately 150 feet to his death. Ranger Ned Kelleher rappelled to his location and confirmed that S.P. had died in the fall. Members from the park and West Elk SAR teams recovered the body the next day. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA, 10/8]
On November 7th, 41-year-old W. "T." K. was leading a climb on the "Journey Home" route on the North Rim of the canyon. W.T. was attempting to place protection when a flake of rock peeled off the wall, causing him to fall approximately 25 feet. Bones in both of his feet were fractured. W.T.'s climbing partners helped lower him to the base of the cliff, approximately 1,000 feet from the base of the rim. Ranger Ned Kelleher was notified of the accident about three hours later and descended the technical route down Cruise Gully to reach W.T.. Since a technical evacuation in the steep terrain would take a long time, W.T. was evacuated via helicopter shorthaul to the South Rim of the canyon, then transported by ambulance to Montrose Memorial Hospital. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA, 11/10]
A search for 27-year-old M.T., reported as missing from East Lansing, Michigan, ended on December 26th when rangers spotted his body during an aerial search of the inner canyon of Black Canyon. He evidently sustained fatal injuries from a fall from the North Chasm view overlook. Rangers became concerned as to his whereabouts when they found his abandoned vehicle on December 22nd. A search was immediately begun and continued until his body was discovered. An autopsy is being conducted. Preliminary investigation indicates that the death was a possible suicide. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA, 12/27]
The daughter of Kerry King, a maintenance employee at the park, was killed in a traffic accident on March 20th. Melissa King, 18, died at the scene of a single-vehicle rollover accident while returning home from work at 10:45 p.m. Funeral services were held on March 24th and were followed by burial services in Gunnison. Memorial contributions in her name may be made to "Shade for Blades," a non-profit organization to improve outdoor recreational facilities in Gunnison. The address for that organization is Box 7040, Gunnison, CO 81230. [CRO, BLCA/CURE, 3/30]
On June 17th, Z.A., 20, fell while leading a climb of the 5.10+ Cruise route. Z.A. was climbing about ten feet above his last piece of protection when he lost his footing, slipped and fell, sustaining possible fractures to both ankles. Z.A.'s climbing partner contacted North Rim ranger Ed Delmolino at 9:30 p.m. Delmolino treated Z.A.'s injuries and monitored his condition through the night until rescue operations could begin the following morning. Park and local rescue teams raised Z.A. up the North Chasm wall over 1,500 feet to the rim of the canyon. The mission took about five hours and over 25 rescuers to complete. Marion Parker was IC. On July 9th, M.M., 41, fell while lead-climbing Cruise Gully after she and her partner abandoned a climb on the Leisure route. M.M. was climbing 50 feet above her first protection in intermittent rain when she apparently lost her footing, falling and tumbling about 80 feet and sustaining severe head injuries. Her partner contacted ranger Ed Delmolino, who responded along with a paramedic from a local EMS squad. The nighttime litter evacuation involved lowering her down the remainder of the gully in rain, lightning and continuous rock falls. M.M. was then raised over 1,500 feet up the North Chasm wall to the rim and flown by helicopter to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, where she underwent surgery for a skull fracture. The entire operation took 12 hours and involved 50 rescuers and support personnel, including a number of local, county and volunteer rescue squads. Kinsey Shilling was IC. These two operations constitute the most significant technical raises to date in the park. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA/CURE, 7/11]
On September 3rd, rangers were notified of an injured visitor somewhere along the Rim Rock nature trail on the south rim of the canyon. A.D., 21, of Arvada, Colorado, had scrambled and free-climbed off trail into the canyon with a friend and had fallen an unknown distance. Day was dazed and incoherent when rangers Marion Parker, Kris Davis and Luis Aragon found him on a narrow shelf on the west side of Amphitheater Draw several hundred feet below the rim. A multi-agency rescue involving approximately 40 people was begun. A.D. was raised 400 feet to the canyon rim, taken to Montrose Memorial Hospital, then flown to St. Anthony's Central in Denver. Doctors determined that he'd sustained a closed head injury along with severe head and scalp lacerations and numerous other lacerations and contusions. The incident remains under investigation. Alcohol and drugs are believed to have been contributing factors. [Linda Alick, CR, BLCA/CURE, 9/8]
A search resumed yesterday at the north rim of the canyon for a missing California man. M.L. of San Jose, California, entered the park last Thursday, paid an entrance fee, and reserved a campsite through Sunday. His 1994 white Dodge minivan was still parked in the campground on Monday. Due to the steep and rugged terrain of the north rim, a brief helicopter search was conducted on Monday. On Tuesday, Colorado search and rescue air-scent dogs were on scene along with a small ground search team. A 15-member National Park Service and Montrose County Sheriffs Office ground search team is working the area to find clues regarding M.L.'s disappearance. M.L. is described as a 49-year-old white male, 6'1" 220 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. He wears glasses. It appears that he is by himself and did not register for a backcountry wilderness permit. The National Park Service and the San Jose police department are continuing the investigation into M.L.'s disappearance. [Submitted by Phil Zicheterman, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP]
The body of 49-year-old M.L. was found at the bottom of Chasm View on the park's steep and rugged north rim shortly before noon on September 19. M.L. was reported missing on September 16 and had been the subject of a search that involved air-scent dogs, a helicopter and a 15-person NPS search team. A technical rock climbing team was dispatched to the area on September 19 to descend Cruise Gully. Crew members discovered M.L.'s body. It's estimated that he fell about 2,000 feet. [Submitted by Phil Zichterman, Public Information Officer, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP]
Rangers recovered a body believed to be that of a 42-year-old man from Michigan at the base of Chasm View overlook on the South Rim of Black Canyon on September 18th. Upon noticing a bicycle locked to a fence at the overlook for most of the day on September 17th, rangers began a hasty search in the vicinity of the overlook later in the afternoon. The following morning, a ranger hiked into the canyon from the North Rim and discovered human remains at the bottom of the canyon below the overlook. Initial investigation and condition of the remains indicates that the victim died in a fall of approximately 2,000 feet. A team of three rangers recovered the remains, extricated the body via helicopter long-line, and relinquished custody to the Montrose County coroner. A forensic autopsy will be completed to determine official cause of death and positive identification. The investigation is continuing. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
On Saturday, October 22nd, a 37-year-old male climber fell approximately 60 feet while leading the third pitch of the Escape Artist (III, 5.10-) in SOB Gully. The climber hit a small ledge midway through the fall and was caught by his belayer approximately 25 feet above the belay ledge. The climbing party then began a self-rescue, aided by another party on the route. Two other climbers passed the injured party and finished their climb in order to notify park staff. The injured climber was lowered several hundred feet to a ledge in SOB Gully to await rescue. At approximately 6 p.m., a hasty team of park climbing VIPs descended the gully and began initial treatment of the injured climber. At approximately 9 p.m., a second team, led by two ranger/EMT's and a Montrose County paramedic, descended the gully. The injured party was stabilized and treated through the night. On Sunday, a team of six climbing VIPs descended the gully to assist with lowering operations. The injured climber was lowered 100 feet off a ledge and approximately 1,200 feet down the gully to the Gunnison River, then carried a quarter mile downstream to a helicopter landing zone. He was airlifted out of the canyon and transported to Montrose Memorial Hospital, where he is in an ICU recovering from surgery. The total extent of injuries is still unknown, but he suffered multiple femur fractures, significant internal bleeding, and fractures in both feet. Patient care and the speed of the rescue operation substantially reduced further injuries. The successful rescue would not have been possible without the efforts of several groups of climbers staying in the park over the weekend. The work of park staff, local agencies, climbing volunteers, and the climbing party involved in the accident without question led to a life saved. [Submitted by Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
On Monday, January 29th, rangers received a report that a car had crashed through a fence at the Tomichi overlook along the south rim of Black Canyon. When they arrived just before nightfall, they found a 2007 Kia Optima four-door sedan wedged between the cliff face and rocks about 500 feet below the rim. A rescue ensued. Rangers were assisted by personnel from the Montrose County Sheriff's Posse and Montrose FD in the four-hour-long operation. A haul system was employed to extricate the driver, 31-year-old P.D., an Indian national from the Chicago area. P.D. was taken to Montrose County Hospital, where he was last reported in stable condition, suffering mostly from bumps and bruises. The Kia was first spotted by an employee of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association who was leaving the park after reading meters. Given the time of day, the accident would otherwise have most likely been undetected until the following morning. The car was equipped with side airbags and the driver was wearing his seatbelt. The accident investigation is continuing. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
Early on the morning of February 10th, rangers came upon a car in the visitor center parking lot, but could find no visitors in the area. A brief search led to the discovery that someone had fallen about 1,200 feet into the canyon from the Gunnison Point overlook. Three rangers were flown by helicopter to the floor of the canyon and undertook a technical ascent to the body, an effort that involved a 140-foot vertical ice climb. Due to fading daylight, the three rangers had to spend the night in the canyon. Early the next morning, they lowered themselves and the body to a safe landing zone. Although foul weather was moving into the area, the helicopter was able to fly the team and the body out of the canyon. The victim is believed to be a 17-year-old girl from nearby Montrose. The investigation is continuing. The body was taken to the county coroner, who will determine the manner and cause of death. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
Climbing ranger Brent Mims received a report of an accident on a climbing route graded at 5.10 (very difficult) in SOB Gully around 9 p.m. on the evening of April 19th. A 21-year-old man from Colorado Springs was climbing with three other people when he fell about 30 feet below his belay, taking a total fall of 50 feet. He was unresponsive for about two minutes and had an obvious deformity to his right hand. The nearly eight-hour-long rescue involved a 150-foot technical climb to reach the summit of a detached pillar, then the 400-foot lowering of a rescuer to the injured climber's position. A separate haul system was constructed to traverse the rescuer and injured man along the top of the pillar to a point where they could be lowered into the gully. They were then hauled 600 feet to the canyon rim. This rescue was the first of the year utilizing a team of dedicated volunteer climbers who are familiar with the Black Canyon and train with the staff. This complex rescue, led by Mims, would have undoubtedly been exceedingly difficult without the support of these volunteers. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
Early on the morning of last August 18th, climbing ranger Brent Mims was alerted to the possibility that a BASE jump was going to occur in the park. He found a good vantage point and saw two men - K.C. and J.F. - attempting to hide what he believed to be parachutes in the canyon below the 2,250-foot-high Painted Wall on the north rim, Colorado's highest cliff and a well-known BASE-jumping site. He contacted them when they left the canyon and both admitted to making the jump and to hiding their parachutes in the gulley below. The parachutes and associated gear were confiscated but returned to the two men after their court hearing due to their cooperation. On October 2nd, both J.F. and K.C. pled guilty to violating the regulation prohibiting BASE jumping (36 CFR 2.17a3). They were each ordered to pay $1,285 in fines, with the court requiring that $2,000 of this total be deposited in the Black Canyon Search and Rescue Fund, which is used to support the park's volunteer climbing ranger team. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
Rangers and members of the park's volunteer climbing ranger team recovered the body of a 21-year-old man at the base of Chasm View overlook on Friday, September 19th. He'd been reported missing on Tuesday, and rangers found his car at the overlook after receiving an "attempt to locate" message from the local sheriff's office. Rangers spotted what appeared to be a body at the base of the overlook, an observation that was confirmed by members of a hasty search team who hiked into the canyon that afternoon. A recovery team entered the canyon and prepared the body for extraction via helicopter long-line. Investigators determined that he'd fallen about 1800 feet. A forensic autopsy was conducted and the medical examiner has ruled the death a suicide. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
Rangers were notified of a climbing accident on the Stoned Oven route (rated 5.11+, between difficult and very difficult) around mid-afternoon on Monday, October 20th. M.W., 30, who was roped and wearing a climbing helmet, had fallen 30 to 40 feet while leading the fourth pitch of the route several hours earlier, sustaining life-threatening injuries. M.W. was lowered to the base of the climb by his partners, who then ascended 1,700 feet to the rim of the canyon via Cruise Gully to seek assistance. A hasty team responded immediately, descending down the gully, which has sections of technical terrain and requires about 250 feet of rappelling. Although their response time was slowed slightly by rain, they reached M.W. just after 5 p.m. Due to the nature of M.W.'s injuries, the park SAR team, assisted by members of Western State SAR, began a rescue operation despite the approaching darkness. A park SAR team member was lowered from the rim to the canyon floor in the area of the Hallucinogen Wall route (rated 5.10, A3+). A litter carry was made from the base of the Stoned Oven route to the haul lines, and M.W. and a rescuer were then hauled 1,500 vertical feet to the canyon rim, arriving there around 11 p.m.. M.W. was then flown to a hospital via air ambulance. The entire rescue operation took less than nine hours from the time of first notification to its conclusion. The ability of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP to conduct complex rescue operations with this degree of efficiency and professionalism is largely due to a dedicated group of SAR volunteers who donate hundreds of man/hours training at the park each season. [Steve Winslow, District Ranger]
On October 7th, a BASE jumper and his partner pled guilty to separate charges in federal court following their arrest after a BASE jump a week earlier. A.G. pled guilty to a violation of 36 CFR 2.17(a)(3), illegal delivery of a person by parachute, the regulation prohibiting BASE jumping. A.G. was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines. T.H., A.G.'s partner, who aided and abetted him by acting as a radio lookout and posing as a hiking partner, pled guilty to interference with an agency function and was ordered to pay a $250 fine. Despite the duo's extraordinary efforts to avoid detection, including surveillance of the ranger station, scouting the jump location the previous day, using two-way radios, leaving for the jump site under darkness, and completing a backcountry permit stating they were hiking together, ranger Mark Franklin was still able to outwit the two and observe A.G. BASE jump off the 2,250-foot-high Painted Wall, Colorado's highest cliff, early on the morning of October 1st. Later that morning, rangers contacted a bewildered A.G. and T.H. as they exited S.O.B Draw and confiscated all the equipment used in the jump. A.G. had attempted to hide all of the equipment and other evidence of the jump in nearby trees prior to leaving the area. [Steve Winslow, District Ranger]
The park's SAR team and Ouray Mountain Rescue successfully evacuated an injured hiker from the Black Canyon's S.O.B. Route last Saturday evening. The operation - possibly the longest scree evacuation in recent years - required the efforts of 20 rescuers and support staff, took more than 24 hours, and required the establishment of multiple hauling stations to move the injured hiker through thick brush up 1,800 feet of loose rock and boulders, cliffs and ledges. Rangers responded to a HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPOT_Satellite_Messenger" SPOT locator signal late Friday. An EMT and a paramedic spent the night with the injured Colorado Springs man, stabilizing his broken lower leg and providing support until the rescue could begin early Saturday morning. [Sandra Snell-Dobert, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Technology]
On the afternoon of Wednesday, July 10th, rangers searching for the driver of an unattended vehicle located the body of a young man at the bottom of a park cliff. The search was begun after rangers noted that the vehicle had been parked on the North Rim overnight. The body was recovered on July 11th using a Yellowstone National Park helicopter that was staged at Dinosaur National Monument for a possible fire response. Rangers are working with the Montrose County Sheriff's Office and Montrose County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the facts surrounding the incident. [Sandra Snell-Dobert, Public Information Officer]
The combined efforts of search and rescue teams from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Ouray Mountain Rescue, West Elk Mountain Rescue and Western State Mountain Rescue resulted in the successful evacuation of an injured climber from the Atlantis buttress during a spring storm on Sunday, April 13th. The park received a report of an injured climber on Saturday evening. Climbing rangers, including a park paramedic, located the climber late that evening and bivouacked overnight with him, treating his several injuries. He was injured when he pulled a large boulder off the wall while leading a pitch on a route called "Hotlanta" on the Atlantis buttress. Additional technical rescue teams arrived on Sunday to help raise the climber 1,800 feet to the canyon's North Rim. Intermittent whiteout conditions with heavy, wet snow and gusty winds challenged the rescuers during this high angle rescue. The climber, who is from Durango, Colorado, was taken to a medical facility with ankle, chest, and facial injuries. He is in stable condition. [Sandra Snell-Dobert]
Rangers and Black Canyon Volunteer Search and Rescue Team members responded to two separate incidents over the Fourth of July weekend. On Thursday, July 3rd, a 35-year-old Minnesota man who was backpacking with a friend on the South Rim's Warner Route stepped off a 16-inch rock and broke his lower leg. The pair attempted to splint the lower leg with a trekking pole and a fishing rod, but the steep, loose terrain of Black Canyon made self-rescue impossible. Rangers and a paramedic spent the night in the canyon with the pair and the SAR team and park personnel conducted a scree evacuation the following morning. The man was transported by ambulance to Montrose Memorial Hospital later that morning. On Saturday, July 5th, a visitor at South Rim's Chasm View overlook reported hearing a whistle and cries for help. Rangers on the South Rim were able to spot an individual toward the bottom of the North Rim's S.O.B. Gully. A climbing ranger hiked down to the 28-year-old hiker, who had fallen approximately 10 feet and suffered a compound leg fracture. Rangers and a paramedic spent the night with him to provide care, while a scree evacuation was staged for first light the following morning. Black Canyon Volunteer Search and Rescue, park personnel, Western State Colorado University Search and Rescue, and West Elk Search and Rescue used 11 main and belay line stations of approximately 130 vertical feet each to raise the man a total of 1400 vertical feet. He was then transported via Tri State Care Flight to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction. All the inner canyon routes in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park are infamous for loose rock, steep drop-offs and abundant poison ivy. [Lisa Lynch, IT Specialist]
Park rangers worked quickly on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 5th, to search the area along and around the Warner Route for a father and two boys from New Mexico who were reported missing by family members. The boys, ages 12 and 14, had gotten separated from their father during a short hike. He returned to the parking lot to tell his wife and daughter that the boys were missing and then went back into the canyon to look for them. When he did not promptly return, family members reported all three as missing and a hasty search was begun. After several hours of searching along the upper parts of the route and canyon rim, and with darkness approaching, two rangers carrying overnight gear and extra food and water hiked to the bottom of the route. The man and two boys were located around midnight at the Gunnison River. They were hungry and thirsty, but otherwise in good condition. They hiked out with rangers on Wednesday morning. [Sandra Snell-Dobert, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Technology]
During the early afternoon hours of June 30th, a park visitor was attacked by a doe mule deer in the South Rim Campground. The woman was walking two small dogs on a leash when she was knocked to the ground by the deer. The deer then trampled the woman with its hooves, causing life threatening injuries. Luckily, a campground host and other visitors heard the woman screaming and were able to chase off the attacking deer. Rangers quickly controlled her profuse bleeding and stabilized her; she was then taken by ambulance to a hospital and went into surgery. Investigation revealed this deer was likely protecting its newborn fawn from visitors with dogs. Multiple minor incidents involving visitors with dogs preceded the attack on the woman and her dog in the campground. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers subsequently shot the deer after it charged two CPW officers who had a leashed dog with them. The woman is expected to make a full recovery. [Sandra Snell-Dobert, Public Information Officer]
Rangers were able to put specialized training to use on June 2nd when they performed a short-haul rescue of an injured climber. Earlier that day, the park received a report that a man had taken a 50-foot lead climbing fall on the Scenic Cruise climbing route in Cruise Gully. Despite having a broken ankle, the 43-year-old climber from South Jordan, Utah, was able to rappel to the base of the route. Rangers responded and arranged for a short-haul rescue to the south rim helicopter landing pad. Black Canyon rangers have been training with Mesa Verde helitack for the last two years; this was the first short haul rescue conducted within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Source: Montrose Daily Press.
On September 11, a rock climber took a fall on the Great White Wall climbing route on the North Rim of Black Canyon and went unconscious. Search and Rescue teams from the park and Western Colorado University responded, first hiking the Long Draw route into the canyon, rock climbing 300 feet to the patient's location, and then lowering them to the bottom of the canyon. The patient was then flown by a Colorado Army National Guard helicopter from the bottom of the canyon to Montrose, Colorado, where they were transferred to a medical air ambulance and flown to Saint Mary's hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. The individual sustained "major trauma injuries." Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
On June 21, the park announced that 10 walk-in campsites at East Portal Campground have been closed due to damage from recent storms. Source: Denver Gazette
On October 28, a vehicle bypassed the park's entry gate at a high rate of speed. Later that day, the vehicle was found three miles down the steep East Portal Road, where it had gone off the side and about 150 feet down the slope into vegetation. Montrose County (CO) Sheriff's Office personnel responded to the reported crash and found the vehicle empty. There were signs that the driver's head "likely hit the inside windshield." The registered owner, a 19-year-old, matched the description of the driver observed bypassing the entry gate. An interview with the individual's roommate revealed that the individual's phone and wallet were left behind in their room, and the roommate reported that the individual had said they were going to "hide" their phone and they were going to Utah. A search for the individual in the area of the vehicle began on October 28, including ground teams, dogs, and drones, with support from Montrose County, the NPS, and Gunnison Search and Rescue. On November 5, the individual was found deceased by drones at the base of some cliffs. Technical rope rescue techniques were used to recover the individual's body. Source: Montrose Press, Idaho Statesman
A 31-year-old has gone missing. Their last known whereabouts were in Montrose, Colorado, on February 12-13 and in Black Canyon of the Gunnison on the morning of February 13. The park is looking for any information the public can provide. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
On March 18, the park reported the discovery of human remains in "a remote and highly technical area to access." They are believed to belong to the 31-year-old that went missing on February 13 (see 3/5/25 Coalition Report). The individual's death "was believed to be unwitnessed and is under investigation." Agencies involved in the search and investigation included the NPS, Montrose (CO) Police Department, Montrose County Sheriffs Office, Denver Police Department, Montrose County Posse Search and Rescue Volunteers, Friends of Black Canyon Search and Rescue Volunteers, and Slavin Private Investigations. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
On April 13, multiagency staff were able to perform a recovery of human remains located in a remote part of the park (see 3/19/25 and 3/5/25 Coalition Reports). The recovery utilized NPS staff from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Colorado National Monument, and Curecanti National Recreation Area, as well as personnel from the Montrose County (CO) Sheriff's Office, Montrose County Coroner's Office of Medical Investigations, Montrose County Road and Bridge, Friends of the Black Canyon Search and Rescue Volunteers, and Mountain Blade Runner Helicopters. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
On July 10, lightning strikes ignited wildfires on both the North Rim and South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. All visitors and staff were evacuated from the park. As of July 22, the South Rim Fire was 4,220 acres and 31% contained, with 450 personnel assigned. On July 18, Curecanti closed all boating activities on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of Middle Bridge, due to firefighting scooper aircraft. On July 20, the reservoir was reopened. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Inciweb, Curecanti National Recreation Area (7/18, 7/20)
On July 10, lightning strikes ignited wildfires on both the North Rim and South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. All visitors and staff were evacuated from the park. As of August 5, the South Rim Fire was 4,232 acres and 52% contained, with 24 personnel assigned. On July 18, Curecanti closed all boating activities on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of Middle Bridge, due to firefighting scooper aircraft. On July 20, the reservoir was reopened. On July 24, the park announced that a team of hydrologists and soil scientists began conducting rapid assessments, and have thus far noted that drinking water supplies have not been affected. On July 30, the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison reopened to the public. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (7/10, 7/24, 7/25), Inciweb, Curecanti National Recreation Area (7/18, 7/20)
July 10, lightning strikes ignited wildfires on both the North Rim and South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. All visitors and staff were evacuated from the park. As of August 16, the South Rim Fire was 4,232 acres and 60% contained, with 24 personnel assigned. On July 18, Curecanti closed all boating activities on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of Middle Bridge, due to firefighting scooper aircraft. On July 20, the reservoir was reopened. On July 24, the park announced that a team of hydrologists and soil scientists began conducting rapid assessments, and have thus far noted that drinking water supplies have not been affected. On July 30, the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison reopened to the public. On August 18, the South Rim of Black Canyon reopened a small area around the visitor center. The rest of the South Rim remains closed. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (7/10, 7/24, 7/25, 8/14), Inciweb, Curecanti National Recreation Area (7/18, 7/20), Watch Duty (app)
On July 10, lightning strikes ignited wildfires on both the North Rim and South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. All visitors and staff were evacuated from the park. On July 18, Curecanti closed all boating activities on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of Middle Bridge, due to firefighting scooper aircraft. On July 20, the reservoir was reopened. On July 24, the park announced that a team of hydrologists and soil scientists began conducting rapid assessments, and have thus far noted that drinking water supplies have not been affected. On July 30, the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison reopened to the public. On August 18, the South Rim of Black Canyon reopened a small area around the visitor center. On August 29, the South Rim reopened in its entirety. East Portal Road and Campground remain closed, as well as the South Rim Campground and several trails and wilderness routes. As of August 29, the South Rim Fire was 4,232 acres and 80% contained. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (7/10, 7/24, 7/25, 8/14, 8/28), Inciweb, Curecanti National Recreation Area (7/18, 7/20), Watch Duty (app)
On November 20, the Oak Flat and Uplands Trails reopened for the first time since wildfires hit the park in July. Several trails, wilderness routes, and campgrounds remain closed. Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Late on March 23 or early on March 24, an individual "in [their] 40s" went over a cliff edge near the Gunnison Point Trail. A group of visitors observed the individual deceased just before 9am on March 24. The individual's body was recovered, with support from a helicopter. No further details have been given. Source: Montrose Press
On July 15, heavy thunderstorms hit the area, causing three major mudslides across East Portal Road, stranding 21 visitors. The campground and picnic area were also said to have been covered. They were evacuated that night and the following morning, and the East Portal area is closed until further notice. Source: KKTV
On September 14, the park closed East Portal Road due to the risk of further mudslides. The road had only opened 10 days earlier after a mudslide closed the road in mid-July (see below). The road is closed "until the area is safe for public access." Source: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
On September 4, the East Portal Road reopened for the first time since a mudslide damaged the road in July (see 7/22/26 Coalition Report). Crews cleared the roadways, culverts, drainages, and visitor use areas, allowing for the campground and picnic areas to reopen. The lower walk-in section of the East Portal Campground will remain closed for crews to continue debris removal. [Editor note: On September 14, the road closed again due to the threat of mudslides (see above). It will reopen when it is deemed safe again.] Source: Curecanti National Recreation Area
On September 19, the Bureau of Reclamation reopened the East Portal Road for the first time since its closure due to rainfall and mudslides on September 14. Source: Curecanti National Recreation Area | |