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Re: Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide

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avatar Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide
August 04, 2009 02:33PM
Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide

Park dispatch received a 911 call reporting a person with head injuries about a mile from the summit on the Lassen Peak trail just after noon on July 29th. NPS units began responding along with an ambulance crew from the town of Chester. While they were en route, follow-up reports indicated there were two juvenile victims and that bystander CPR was in progress on one of them. Additional assistance was requested, including a life flight helicopter, a hoist-capable rescue helicopter from the California Highway Patrol, and a short-haul-capable helicopter from CalFire. NPS and ambulance advanced life support providers hiked to the location of the incident on a series of switchbacks on the trail at 9,700 feet. They began providing medical care to the two victims – a nine-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister – who had been caught in a rock slide while hiking with other family members. Resuscitation efforts were terminated on the boy, but treatment continued on the girl, who was suffering from severe head and facial injuries. California Highway Patrol helicopter H14 then conducted a hoisting operation to remove the girl from the trail and fly her to a nearby landing zone, where patient care was transferred to another waiting helicopter medical crew. CHP H14 then conducted a second hoist operation to remove the body of the boy and fly it to Redding, where it was turned over to a Shasta County deputy coroner. The girl is currently in serious but stable condition and improving at Mercy Medical Center in Redding.
Re: Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide
August 05, 2009 01:03PM
Quote
eeek
Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide

Park dispatch received a 911 call reporting a person with head injuries about a mile from the summit on the Lassen Peak trail just after noon on July 29th. NPS units began responding along with an ambulance crew from the town of Chester. While they were en route, follow-up reports indicated there were two juvenile victims and that bystander CPR was in progress on one of them. Additional assistance was requested, including a life flight helicopter, a hoist-capable rescue helicopter from the California Highway Patrol, and a short-haul-capable helicopter from CalFire. NPS and ambulance advanced life support providers hiked to the location of the incident on a series of switchbacks on the trail at 9,700 feet. They began providing medical care to the two victims – a nine-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister – who had been caught in a rock slide while hiking with other family members. Resuscitation efforts were terminated on the boy, but treatment continued on the girl, who was suffering from severe head and facial injuries. California Highway Patrol helicopter H14 then conducted a hoisting operation to remove the girl from the trail and fly her to a nearby landing zone, where patient care was transferred to another waiting helicopter medical crew. CHP H14 then conducted a second hoist operation to remove the body of the boy and fly it to Redding, where it was turned over to a Shasta County deputy coroner. The girl is currently in serious but stable condition and improving at Mercy Medical Center in Redding.

Wow, this is really sad. I wonder - on-trail or off? I have seen people snowboarding up there, thinking they were cuckoo - I can see this sort of thing happening in the places they used for descent.

I also wonder if the summit trail has been closed until the rock has been stabilized?
avatar Re: Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide
August 05, 2009 01:47PM
I hiked the trail two years ago, if this slide occurred where I think it did, there are several rock outcroppings there that are surrounded by extremely loose pumice about halfway to three-quarters the way up. I am not surprised a bunch came loose. I'm sorry about the death and injury. One has to assume that risk on a live volcano. Mount St Helens, by comparison, is different only in its hiking length (a little more than twice as long) and its stability (only really loose on the last half mile or so). Volcanoes are not play toys (nor are hiking trails for that matter).
avatar Re: Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide
August 06, 2009 06:07PM
Until my trip this year I had not driven up Tioga Pass in many years. The frequency of rock slides there is so great they keep a payloader parked half way up the pass full time. Every morning I entered the park there were new rocks in the road. 2/3 of the way up a tour bus had broken down and was under repair for two days. Not a place I would like to leave a vehicle or have to do much walking. The potential for a major slide here dwarfs what happened below El Portal. If there ever is one it could shut down the Nevada approach for a very long time.

Jim
avatar Re: Lassen: Boy Killed, Girl Seriously Injured In Rock Slide
August 06, 2009 11:34PM
I just drove the whole ~58 miles of Tioga a couple of days ago for the second time in 5 days, and I know what you mean about "new" rocks. In fact, it is sort of interesting to approach from below and see the scars to the mountain and rock debris below as you approach it (especially that certain part that looks like the granite is just melting off of the mountain with no obstructions to the big, white. semi horizontal mass)

Bee
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