A helicopter from Grand Canyon National Park had to fly to Zion National Park on Monday to rescue an injured canyoneer who was in a party that ignored the advice of rangers/NPS file
It's one thing to have to be rescued by National Park Service rangers when fate doesn't go your way, but to need a rescue after you mocked and ignored a ranger's advice, well, that's pretty brazen-faced.
But that's what happened Monday at Zion National Park, where rangers actually were called out on two search-and-rescue incidents in the Left Fork of North Creek, on a popular permitted route known as “The Subway”.
"One group disregarded and mocked a ranger’s advice when they picked up their permit. The ranger recommended they bring a rope and multiple harnesses for at least one of the rappels, but the leader of the group, who had been there before, said that they could cross the log and find an easier way down," a park release said Tuesday. "When the ranger reported that the log was washed out last year and recommended the gear, the group dismissed the information and left.
"Later, rangers received a report that a member of the group had a knee injury at the top of the last rappel," the release went on. "Since the log that made it easier to cross the creek was gone, members were making a 6-to-7 foot jump. One person had landed badly. A medic and two others responded and spent Monday night with the patient. A helicopter from the Grand Canyon was brought in for a short-haul operation Tuesday morning."
The other incident involved a group that park rangers said made poor decisions, wore the wrong footwear, and lost the route several times.
"After getting lost early in the day, they reached the Subway feature late Sunday night and spent an unexpected night in the canyon," the park reported. "In the morning, they got lost again, passing the exit route, and continuing downstream. At some point they decided to try to climb a cliff face to reach the road. When heat exhaustion set in, they activated their emergency locator and reported a heat related illness. SAR responders were able to locate the group. After administering fluids, rangers assisted the group back to the trailhead."
Zion Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh urged park visitors to appreciate the settings they find themselves in.
“Visitors need to take their safety seriously and act responsibly,” he said. “Park Rangers are here to advise and assist visitors planning challenging trips in the backcountry, but ultimately preparations and proper equipment is the visitor’s responsibility. Given the number of fires throughout the West and the assignment of aviation assets to them, it was fortunate that the Grand Canyon helicopter was able to respond quickly and that the first group had an emergency beacon, but that is not always the case. Please prepare carefully and plan ahead for unexpected events that might occur in this wonderful, but at times, unforgiving landscape.”
Comments
These are definately rules that need to be changed by the NPS!!! As I completely agree with everyone else, they should be charged for all these very-expensive services, as a result of their poor judgement and actions.
Well, here you go, why wasn't that done?? But as far as their attitude during the rescue, I feel is totally irrelavent, their attitude picking up their permit and mocking the Park Rangers advice is what should really matter. I am on the side of the Park Rangers throughtout "ALL" of this, except the fact, that I hope nothing gets done because a Park Ranger doesn't want to deal with the hassle of paperwork!!!
I would also like to add to all of this, what I feel is also a very-important subject here. I have been to almost every one of the 60 national parks in 28-states of the U.S. at least once, and several times to many of them over the last 61-years. I was just out to Arches, Canyonlands, and Rocky Mountain National Parks for a week during the Memorial Day Holiday. At CanyonlandS NP, I am dumbfounded that the Entrance Station is located about 0.5 mile before the turn-off to Shafer Road Trial, which leads to Potash Road and White Rim Road, because only high-ground clearance 4X4 vehicles are equipped for the 100-mile White Rim Road 4X4 trail to the other side of the park. On numerous ocassions, I've encountered some extremely-foolish people driving big 2WD "MOTOR HOMES", 2WD low-ground clearance automobiles, and 2WD pick-up trucks around the treacherous very-narrow 1-lane Shafer Road Trail and there is nowhere to make a u-turn or even a 3-point turnaround on this road with very-long dropoffs which could easily be fatal to these foolish people if they went over a cliff. That entrance station should have been located or should be relocated right at the Shafer Road Trial turn-off to "REGULATE" what types of non-conforming vehicles actually try to take this route, as well as "confirming" they do in-fact have the required day or overnight permits to do so. This makes "NO SENSE" to me whatsoever, as park visitor "SAFETY" should be the parks #1 concern!!! Most every one of the hundreds of Park Rangers I've encountered over the years in the national park system, will not only help you, they are usually willing to go above & beyond their job requirements and go out of their way to help you. Remember, I feel these Park Rangers are not only underpaid, but usually overworked as well!!! Please note: If your planning on taking the 100-mile 4X4 White Rim Trial, you not only need a high-clearance 4X4 pick-up truck or Sport Utility Vehicle, you need to be a very-expierienced at driving on very-serious 4X4 trials and very-steep inclines (in several areas), otherwise your high-clearance vehicle could be deemed "WORTHLESS" to you. Thanks, retired Army Ranger and Bail Enforcement Officer.
Many times if the individual has health insurance and suffers an injury or illness , these would be picked up by the insurance including the medivac by helicopter or air ambulance. If not, taxpayers thur the national park service search and rescue budget would be left paying for it. The individual could also have to pay out of pocket if their insurance won't cover this or they have no insurance.
Some national park service areas do get a portion of user fees that were approved by Congress that are collected at the park itself to stay at that park and the rest goes to the general treasury . A portion of that fee also goes to other NPS areas who do not make as much money as some larger more popular NPS parks or areas. The money is allocated and approved by Congress for specific projects. Many times Search and Rescue functions might be funded by this or by grants applied for by individuals with authority at the individual parks or NPS areas. Budgets approved by Congress for specific parks or NPS areas thur the Dept of the Interior look at the needs for the park and the individual programs or projects asking for funding by individuals to do so. While NPS does want to promote recreation for the public to enjoy the park , it also has a dual role of protecting the resource it was created to protect. Zion May or may not get user fees but even if it doesn't, the park mighty try to cover costs by trying to recover payment from individuals who got in trouble using said resource.
Not only should they be billed, for every dime spent, saving their pompous assess? But they should be banned from ALL national parks......For life
All I have to say to the visitors that ignored the advice of the park rangers...KARMA!!!
When I visited Zion back in May. There were so many people that I saw who clearly did not prepare themselves for that type of National Park. It is unfortunate that the employees and also the shuttle bus drivers have to put up with peoples ignorance.