Pete Thomas Outdoors

Colorado hiker swept over cliffs by avalanche, drives himself to hospital

By Pete Thomas

A Colorado hiker caught in an avalanche Monday was swept over cliffs and carried 150 feet down the slope, but dug out and drove himself to a hospital.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center published a description of the incident near South Arapaho Peak, stating that the unidentified hiker had suffered a broken pelvis.

“The avy season hit me by surprise today,” the hiker is quoted as saying.

The CAIC's description:

“A hiker left from the 4th of July trail head. He hiked up the Arapaho Pass and Arapaho Glacier Trails to about 11,500 feet. At that elevation recent snow became too deep to make progress and he decided to descend.

To avoid deeper drifts of snow, the hiker moved off trail and descended down a rocky, convex slope. At about 10:30 the hiker postholed through about four feet of drifted snow. He watched the avalanche fracture above and to the east of him. The majority of the avalanche ran through a gully to the east of the hiker.

“The avalanche swept him over several cliffs 10 to 15 feet high. He was carried about 150 vertical feet and injured. He hiked out and drove himself to a hospital and said he suffered "cuts, bruises, and a fractured pelvis. The hiker described the maximum crown depth as three to four feet. The slab was drifted snow from a storm on October 14, and the bed surface from an earlier storm.”

The accompanying image shows where the hiker became caught in the avalanche (green circle) and where the hiker ended up (red X). Most of the debris flow was in the gully to the right of the red line.

 

Plane reported missing over Yosemite in December is located

A single-engine airplane that was reported missing over Yosemite National Park in wintry weather last Dec. 17 has been located, along with the deceased pilot, in the park's rugged Vogelsang High Sierra Camp area.

A park visitor spotted the plane on Saturday. Yosemite rangers hiked to the area Sunday and discovered the body of Nicol Wilson, the male pilot, at the scene of the crash. The plane, surprisingly, was largely intact.

A Yosemite news release issued Monday reads:

Wilson, who was flying from the Santa Barbara area to the Mammoth Lakes Airport on the east side of the Sierra Nevada, disappeared during a winter storm on Monday, December 17, 2012.  After extensive searching of the Yosemite high country, the search was suspended for the winter season. 

Yosemite National Park has searched extensively over the past several months, once conditions allowed for travel through the high country.

The Yosemite National Park Helitak crew was greatly assisted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Civil Air Patrol (CAP), California Emergency Services, and YoDogs (canine search and rescue assistance) during the extensive search operation.

Yosemite National Park Rangers will be removing the plane from the backcountry over the next several weeks.

Trouble in paradise? Drug busts are on rise at Yosemite

If everyone seems happy in Yosemite National Park, it ought to be and probably is in most cases because of the spectacular beauty of a pristine wilderness.

But some visitors to the iconic California park are high on more than nature. They're on drugs.

According to an NBC Bay Area investigation, Yosemite boasts the highest number of drug arrests and citations per 100,000 visitors compared to other large national parks.

Malcolm Morgan, a camper from Larkspur, California, is quoted as saying: "We were comparing it to Disneyland. We see a lot more happy faces here in Yosemite than we did at Disneyland."

Yosemite receives about 3 million visitors per year. NBC reports that drug busts have increased 18% since 2007 and that last year park rangers arrested or cited 855 visitors for possession of drugs.

Most of those arrests occurred within the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley.

For the sake of comparison, there were 2,393 drug possession arrests in Yosemite in from 2010 through 2012. There were 500 in Yellowstone National Park; and only 365 in Grand Canyon National Park.

Yosemite Deputy Chief Ranger Julie Byerly said she thinks most of the drug users are "largely folks that are coming and going," and not serious nature lovers. She does not believe Yosemite has a drug problem.

Said United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Seng, who tries federal drug cases in a courthouse in Yosemite Valley: "It’s been primarily marijuana, mushrooms, hallucinogenic mushrooms, and then the party drug--ecstasy."

Seng implied that the problem stems from a drug culture existing among certain groups that visit the park from nearby communities. Yosemite Valley is easily accessible and receives most of the park's visitor traffic.

It should be stressed that visitors are not likely to experience shady dealings or drug-related problems. It's also worth noting that this iconic park is much bigger than Yosemite Valley; it boasts nearly 1,200 square miles of scenic valleys, meadows, great trees, rivers and waterfalls.

But if you happen to be in Yosemite Valley and that crisp scent of pine is temporarily interrupted by something far more pungent, well, you'll have a pretty good idea what you're smelling.

--Image of Yosemite's fabled El Capitan is via the park's Facebook page

Little girl's heartwarming letter to Yosemite rangers goes viral

Rangers at Yosemite National Park received a letter recently from a little girl named Evie. Taped to the letter were two small sticks, each maybe a few inches long.

But it was Evie's touching words that produced smiles and warmed their hearts. So the rangers shared the letter Wednesday on the California wilderness park's Facebook page, and it has since been shared by more than 6,400 users, "liked" by nearly 12,000 people, and commented on by nearly 1,000 people.

This is because Evie's letter is cute, but mostly because its broader meaning underscores the goodness in children, who generally want to do the right thing, and who will follow through if given a chance.

Those two sticks, it turns out, were carried out of Yosemite by Evie at the end of a family outing. Removing items from national parks, or from any wilderness area, is frowned upon because all natural items within these wonderful open spaces are what keep them pristine.

Visitors to national parks are advised of this smart principle via posted signs and in literature, and somehow the message reached Evie, after she had left the park, and discovered the two sticks in her pocket.

Tiny sticks. Insignificant, perhaps, in terms of keeping Yosemite pristine. But to Evie, they had to be returned to their place of origin. Hence, the letter (pictured at right), which might just brighten your day, especially if you're a parent or are planning to have children::

Dear Park Rangers,

I am a Yosemite Junior Ranger. I went to Yosemite recently and accidentally brought home two sticks.
I know I'm not supposed to take things from the park, so I am sending them back. Please put them in nature.

Thank you, Evie

Campsites in spotlight after completion of Pacific Crest Trail

 

Chris and Anna Alexander hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in 2012, and took lots of photos along the way.

Many of the photos during their five-month, 2,600-mile odyssey were of their on- and off-trail campsites, and a lightweight tent that is shown throughout the fun video atop this post.

Watching the footage, though, you get a sense that the tent did all the camping because because Chris and Anna appear only sporadically before the camera.

The video is posted on their Wandering the Wild website and Facebook page, and serves, essentially, as a tent review.

For prospective PCT hikers, however, the information may be useful.

States the couple: "The Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 tent performed well during our PCT through-hike. It’s very light. Out of the box this two-person tent weighs 2.6 pounds. We left the stuff sack at home and brought only 6 Vargo titanium tent stakes, bringing the weight down to 2.3 pounds.

"The Fly Creek UL2 was cozy for the two of us with only a few inches to spare on either side of our sleeping pads, but its small size allowed us to pitch the tent in itty bitty spots when necessary."

As for the more scenic photos, they'll  be featured in Chris Alexander's forthcoming book: "Pacific Crest Trail: A Journey in Photographs." The 120-page hardcover is slated for a Feb. 25 release and will sell for $49.95.

--Kelly Burgess

Woman attacked by mountain lion in Big Bend National Park

A female hiker was attacked Friday by a mountain lion on a remote trail in Big Bend National Park in Texas, the park announced in a news release issued Saturday.

Andrea Pinero Cebrian was with friends on the Mesa de Angulia Trail at about 12:30 p.m. when the attack occurred. She sustained head injuries and was treated at the scene after her friends had telephoned for help.

According to the Alpine Daily Planet, Cebrian refused to be transported to the nearest hospital in Alpine, about 60 miles away.

Park officials stated in the news release that the area, in the westernmost region of the park, has been closed while rangers and biologists investigate and search for the mountain lion, or cougar.

The closure remained in effect through Sunday, according to the park website.

"Visitor safety is our main concern here in Big Bend and we will monitor and close the Mesa until we deem it safe for visitors," Park Superintendent Cindy Ott-Jones said in the news release.

Yosemite rangers searching for missing new employee

Yosemite National Park rangers have launched a search for a park employee, Jessica Rose Garcia, who failed to show up for her first day at work Sunday at the Wawona Hotel and may be somewhere within the vast California wilderness park.

A park news release issued Monday night states that Garcia was last seen Saturday morning, by a co-worker at her park residence. She had been walking east along Forest Drive, near the Wawona stables. She had just attended an orientation meeting and was dressed in her dark-green work uniform.

Garcia is Hispanic, standing 5 feet 3 inches tall, and described as being shy and reserved around strangers.

The rescue effort includes the park helicopter, dogs and ranger teams on horseback and foot. The focus is on an area that includes the South Fork of the Merced River, and the Wawona area.

Anyone with information about Garcia's whereabouts, or possible leads, is asked to telephone the Wawona Ranger Station at 209-375-9520, or Yosememite Dispatch at 209-379-1992. The Yosemite Dispatch is available 24-hours per day.

--Pete Thomas

Legal to take antlers attached to a skull found on public land?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I was hiking on public land and came across a dead elk carcass that had been there a while and still had a huge rack attached to the skull. I know it’s legal to pick up shed antlers, but what about if they are still attached to the skull of an old elk carcass? Would it be legal for me to take the antlers? (Matt, Hollister)

Answer:  There is no provision in the Fish and Game Code prohibiting someone from picking up a set of antlers attached to a skull and carcass found on public land. However, this would likely appear suspicious to a game warden. Anyone who chooses to do so should be aware that pursuant to Fish and Game Code, section 2000, possession of any part of a fish or mammal in or on the fields, forests or waters of this state while returning therefrom with fishing or hunting equipment is prima facie evidence the possessor took that fish or mammal.

Q: Can sport fishermen who are fishing crab traps and/or hoop nets use winches to assist in pulling the gear?

A: There are no regulations prohibiting the use of manual winches by sportfishers to assist in pulling crab traps or hoop nets. Use of power-driven winches is prohibited north of Point Arguello, but there is an exception for handling crab traps or nets (see CCR Title 14, section 28.70.)

Q: If my junior hunter is only 11 years old right now but his birthday is before opening day of the junior deer tag, may he apply for it now even though he is 11? He will be 12 on the day of the hunt? (Shawn R.)

Majestic Yosemite Falls can now be enjoyed via webcam

It's not the same as being there, of course, but thanks to the installation of a webcam, fans of Yosemite National Park can enjoy a real-time glimpse of majestic Yosemite Falls from their homes or offices.

The park announced the news Monday.

Yosemite falls, which plummets 2,425 feet, is the highest waterfall in North America and the fifth-highest in the world. The webcam records images every 30 seconds.

It's the fourth Yosemite landmark to receive a be featured via webcam on the Yosemite Conservancy website. The others are El Capitan, Half Dome and the Sierra Nevada high country, including Tenaya Peak and Clouds Rest.

Conservancy president Mike Tollefson stated in a news release: "The webcams provide windows into Yosemite for people to plan a visit and to be inspired about the need to preserve and protect one of the world’s most unique places. This technology makes the park’s incredible scenery accessible to anyone, anywhere and at any time. What could be better than starting your day by viewing Yosemite Falls?"

-- Pete Thomas

Yosemite Half Dome cable permits required daily this season

Yosemite National Park officials have announced that day-use permits to climb the Half Dome cables will be required seven days a week for the 2012 summer season.

An interim program that required permits on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays was implemented by the National Park Service in 2010 and switched to a seven-day-per-week system for 2011, to better regulate the number of hikers using the cable system. Safety issues have arisen from crowding, which also has led to long waits on the popular hike.

Some changes to the permiting system were made this year, and permits will now be allocated through a preseason lottery, a two-day-in-advance lottery, and as part of the Wilderness Permit process, with a maximum of 400 hikers allowed each day on the Half Dome Trail beyond the subdome.

Permit fees also have increased, with two separate fees collected for 2012. A non-refundable processing fee of $4.50 will be charged when applications are submitted online ($6.50 if done by phone). An additional $5 per person refundable fee will be charged when permits are received, and helps offset the cost of stationing park rangers at Half Dome to check for permits.

Further details regarding the lotteries and the wilderness process can be found at the park's website at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm.

The Half Dome cables are generally in place from mid-May through mid-October, depending on snowpack and weather conditions.

Image of Half Dome and climbers using the cable system courtesy of Scott Gediman / National Park Service