Re: Hiker in Sequoia National Park falls through snow bridge

Emergency rescue at Sequoia National Park
June 16, 2011 | 6:17 pm

A Squaw Valley hiker had to be rescued this week at Sequoia National Park after falling through a snow bridge into the icy cold creek below, park authorities said. The woman, 52, was found by hikers three hours later suffering from hypothermia, but was able to walk away from the scene.

Park officials declined to release the woman’s name but said she left Farewell Gap Trailhead for a day hike, training for an ultra-marathon. She crossed a snow bridge, but on her way back, the snow bridge collapsed. The woman fell into the freezing creek with 5 feet of snow from the bridge falling on top of her, according to park spokeswoman Dana M. Dierkes.


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/06/sequoia-national-park-sierra-mountains-hike-rescue-snow-creek-winter-cold-.html

Edit: please do not post entire articles. Just a tiny bit in a link is all that is needed.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2011 11:01PM by Bee.

Sequoia hiker: "I didn't know if I was going to survive."

Marcia Rasmussen, 51, was walking across a snow bridge spanning a small stream in Sequoia National Park last week when the hard-packed snow collapsed and she plunged four feet into the swift water.

“There was no warning,” she said. “One second I’m walking on top of snow , then I’m in the water.”

Dragged along the narrow icy tunnel carved by the creek, she tumbled down a waterfall before finding branches to stop her. But she was still stuck beneath several feet of snowpack.

For three hours, she tried to claw her way out, without gloves. In the final moments before her arms stopped working, she threw her backpack up and out of a 6-inch-wide hole she had dug. A passing hiker spotted it and hauled her out


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/06/sequoia-rescue-hiker-hiking-trails-national-park-snow-franklin-creek-snow-bridge.html

A collapsed snow bridge, the same thing that probably did in legendary ranger Randy Morgenson, The Last Season, by Eric Blehm.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2011 04:39PM by KenS.

Yes, but Mr. Morgenson's mental state no doubt was a factor as well in his demise. One person who wished to remain anonymous told Blehm that Mr. Morgenson was suicidal. Blehm also mentions a psychological review of Mr. Morgenson's final writings which indicated an elevated suicide risk. However, his widow Judi, (they were still technically married when he died), would not let Blehm read them.

Some interesting commentary by Marcia (moving as quickly as possible away from the endless speculation about Ranger Morgenson;one of his best friends posts on these boards)

http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/15477/Re_SeKi_Rescue_Woman_falls_thr#Post15477

---

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.

Quote
Bee
(moving as quickly as possible away from the endless speculation about Ranger Morgenson)

Thank you, Bee. I would add endless and useless

Hey Bee,
I ran across Marcia's name when searching for something else.
This lady knows what she is doing. Very amazing woman.
The comments on the LA Times article are typical. (i.e. idiotic and stupid)
Thanks for the link to WZ and her comments. Very interesting.

Personally this is one of the reasons I carry GPS. I want to know every little
stream, creek, and pond I may be crossing over when snow is covering everything.

---

Men who rescued ultramarathon runner honored

Posted at 09:28 PM on Wednesday, Jun. 29, 2011

By Marek Warszawski / The Fresno Bee


Three Visalia men were honored Wednesday by the National Park Service for their rescue of a Squaw Valley woman who fell through a snow bridge earlier this month at Sequoia National Park.




Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/06/29/2447214/men-who-rescued-ultramarathon.html#ixzz1QpXJR6B9

---

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2011 10:58PM by Bee.

edit--someone beat me to it



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/2011 11:59PM by bbb.