Crater Lake National Park (OR)
Rangers Rescue Women From Caldera
On the afternoon of Sunday, June 10th, rangers received a request for help from a visitor who spotted two women stuck in deep snow in the Crater Lake caldera. They were unable to climb back up and continued to slide down toward the lake. The park SAR team responded and was assisted by staff from other divisions, including fire, natural resources, and fee collection. Rangers Seth Macey and Paul Schauer rappelled down to the two women, secured them, and raised them up to the rim. The women complained of being cold and wet but had no reported injuries. Operations supervisor Jason Ramsdell coordinated the operation. The women, both from Chicago, were illegally hiking in the caldera, which is prohibited due to the steep and dangerous nature of the area. The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only exception to this regulation. Neither woman was near that trail, so they were cited for being in a closed area.