‘Into the Wild’ pilgrimages include dangerous river crossing; Swiss woman drowns in attempt
Chris McCandless, in 1992, at the bus and campsite where he ultimately died. The bus is still there and has become a destination for fans of the "Into the Wild" book and movie.
I am sure many of you have read John Krakauer’s bestseller “Into the Wild,” the story of Chris McCandless. Many more of you probably saw the film adaptation of the book.
Over the years, the book and the film have inspired people to retrace McCandless’s steps on his fateful journey into the Alaska backcountry.
McCandless was a recent college grad who decided to forgo the typical life of building a career and chasing materialistic gain. He saw these efforts as hollow. So he did the vagabond thing, tramping his way across the country and making do with as little as possible. His ultimate dream was to go to Alaska and see if he could make it alone in that state’s backcountry for three months. He attempted that in 1992.
He found an old Fairbanks city bus near the Teklanika River that had been placed there by hunters for use as a shelter. He holed up there and tried to live out his dream.
McCandless didn’t survive the ordeal. A spring river crossing was doable, but when he attempted to leave at the end of the summer the river had swelled considerably and he could not find a place to cross. He eventually starved to death.
The book is well-written, and the story itself is compelling. Many admire McCandless’s spirit and pay homage to him by hiking the Stampede Trail to the banks of the Teklanika and finding their way to the bus where McCandless died.
Starvation killed McCandless. The river killed someone else last week.
A 29-year-old Swiss woman drowned in the river attempting to cross it Saturday. Locals say that there has been a substantial increase in hikers attempting to visit the bus ever since “Into the Wild” was published, and even more after the movie came out a few years ago. You can read more about that here: http://www.adn.com/2010/08/17/1413307/swiss-woman-drowns-in-alaska-river.html#ixzz0xjFbeoMc
The Teklanika River in Alaska. (NPS photo)
I love that book, and I also love the idea that such works inspire people to see the world’s wild places. But it’s disconcerting that people will take on outdoor challenges like river crossing without properly gauging the risks.
River crossings are no joke. They can be very dangerous. I’ve done a few over the years and I’m always amazed at how powerful moving water can be.
Just for grins, here’s a link to a past post I made on this subject: http://blog.newsok.com/outthere/2009/10/22/outdoor-safety-river-crossings/
And, to illustrate the point further, Outside magazine’s blog posted something about this death and included a video of a couple of guys trying to cross the Teklanika River: http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/2010/08/hiker-dies-trekking-to-into-the-wild-bus.html
I’m sure it’s a fascinating pilgrimage. Just be sure if you want to see the “Into the Wild” bus, you’re ready to tackle the obstacles between the trailhead and the bus itself.
Bob Doucette
Update: Four bears captured after deadly Yellowstone attack
In this photo taken Wednesday evening, July 28, 2010, Phillip Legg, of the U.S. Forest Service, prevents entry to the Soda Butte Campground outside Cooke City, Mont. Wildlife officials on Thursday were testing the DNA of a captured grizzly bear to confirm if it was the animal that killed a Michigan man and injured two other campers in a rampage near Yellowstone National Park. (AP Photo/The Livingston Enterprise, Wes Venteicher)
The latest update from Wednesday’s bear attack which killed a man and injured two others near Yellowstone. From The Associated Press:
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COOKE CITY, Mont. — The fourth and final grizzly bear believed involved in the fatal mauling of a Michigan man at a campground near Yellowstone National Park has been captured, Montana wildlife officials said.
Fibers from a tent or sleeping bag were in the captured bears’ droppings, and a tooth fragment found in a tent appears to match a chipped tooth on the 300- to 400-pound sow. But officials say they will decide the bears’ fate only after seeing the results of DNA tests that are expected Friday.
“Everything points to it being the offending bear, but we are not going to do anything until we have DNA samples,” said Ron Aasheim, a spokesman for Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Evidence indicates all three cubs were present for and likely participated in what Warden Capt. Sam Sheppard called a sustained attack on Kevin Kammer of Grand Rapids, Mich. He was pulled out his tent and dragged 25 feet to where his body was found.
Deb Freele, 58, of London, Ontario, Canada recovers at West Park Hospital in Cody, Wyo. on Thursday, July 29, 2010. Freele was attacked by a bear at Soda Butte Campground near Cooke City, Mont., early Wednesday morning. Freele and her husband, Bill, had spent nearly the previous two weeks camping before the incident. (AP Photo/Cody Enterprise, Scott Salisbury)
The two other victims, Deb Freele of London, Ontario, and Ronald Singer, of Alamosa, Colo., were hospitalized in Cody, Wyo. Singer, 21, was treated and released, and Freele was scheduled to have surgery Friday for bite wounds and a broken bone in her arm, said West Park Hospital spokesman Joel Hunt.
Cooke City resident Cliff Browne, 70, said visitors and residents of the Yellowstone gateway community would be relieved to hear the news of the final capture.
Living in proximity to grizzlies is part of life and he said he’s not particularly scared of bears, but this one was different, he said.
“I hate to see them have to put it down, and I’m not one of those bleeding-heart environmental protectionists, but I don’t see any choice,” Browne said Friday morning.
Messages left Thursday for Kammer’s mother-in-law and brother-in-law in Michigan were not returned Thursday.
Singer and his mother, Luron Singer, did not immediately return e-mail messages from the AP. But Luron Singer told The Denver Post that her son, a former high school wrestler, had been camping with his girlfriend.
When he felt the bear biting his leg, he started punching the animal, she said. His girlfriend screamed, and the bear ran away.
“He is doing fine,” Luron Singer told the Post. “He went fishing today.”
Freele said she couldn’t understand why the bear attacked her, because she posed no threat.
“If it was something that I had done — if I had walked into a female with cubs, and startled her, and she attacked me — I can understand that,” she said. “She was hunting us, with the intention of killing us and eating us.”
All the victims did the right thing, and there was no telling why the bear picked out those three tents, Sheppard said.
“She basically targeted the three people and went after them,” he said.
In 2008 at the same campground, a grizzly bear bit and injured a man sleeping in a tent. A young adult female grizzly was captured in a trap four days later and taken to a bear research center in Washington state.
Browne said he didn’t expect to change his routines because of the attacks.
“You can’t live in fear,” he said. “It’s not going to change my going out hiking.”
About 600 grizzly bears and hundreds of less-aggressive black bears live in the Yellowstone area. The grizzlies are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
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Associated Press Writer Ben Neary contributed to this report from Cheyenne, Wyo.
Yellowstone bear attack kills one, injures two
A sign at the entrance of the Soda Butte Campground outside Cooke City, Mont., in this July 29 photo tells would-be visitors to stay out after a man was killed and two people injured when a bear rampaged through the campground. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
A scary story out of Yellowstone National Park. Apparently, a bear or some bears went through a campsite and killed a man and injured two other campers. You can read the entire story here on the LA Times’ outposts blog:
What I find particularly disturning are two things. One, this was an attack in an established campsite, not in some backcountry locale where bear danger is considered a bit higher.
Second, is this quote:
“This is not typical bear behavior. It’s odd. It’s not normal,” said Ron Aasheim, Fish, Wildlife & Parks spokesman.
There have been theories on why some animal attacks have become more common. Human encroachment, for one. That wouldn’t seem to be an issue here.
Others cite climate change, as warmer temperatures change floral growing patterns that adversely affect bears’ food supplies, forcing them to look toward food sources closer to where humans are. Desperate animals do desperate things, the thinking goes.
I don’t know if any of that explains what happened Wednesday, but it is worth watching. The campers who were attacked were said to have taken every proper precaution to prevent bears from getting in their food or otherwise arousing the bears’ curiosity.
Yellowstone is a very popular area nationwide, including Oklahoma. Bear attacks are really rare. But as the investigation of this attack unfolds, it will be interesting to see if researchers find some new, more dangerous behavior pattern in Yellowstone’s bear population.
Bob Doucette
Hiking mishap leaves Oklahoma teen injured — and lucky to be alive
The rugged south side of Elk Mountain.
This is a story where the main subject here is lucky to be alive. Having hiked and climbed in this area, there are plenty of places where people can cliff out and fall. So this is both a story of amazing fortune and caution. It’s written by one of our reporters at The Oklahoman. Have a read:
Harrah teen falls down mountain, lives to tell tale
BY MATT DINGER
Staff Writer
mdinger@opubco.com
LAWTON — The ground slid from beneath Sam Raglin’s feet, and he said he began to pray as he tumbled down Elk Mountain on Thursday morning.
Raglin, 18, of Harrah, came to about 10 or 15 minutes later. He had fallen about 25 feet down the mountain at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, suffering a serious head injury along the way.
“I was just trying to find the quickest way to the top, and I got a little ahead of myself,” Sam Raglin said.
Friend Jamen Nowka said: “I heard some scuffling, and I hear something like someone had lost their footing, nothing big. It didn’t sound like anything bad and then I hear my friend Chris say, ‘Sam fell. Sam fell, and it’s bad.’”
Nowka was one of six friends with Raglin that day. They have all known each other since preschool, Nowka said.
“I got to Sam first. It was a real steep part. You had to really work to stand there. I get to him, and there’s blood running down his head. He’s unconscious and was making heavy breathing sounds,” he said.
Two other friends were also able to get Raglin, who was pointed down the mountain and lying on his stomach. They flipped him over and began treating him with a first-aid kit they had with them.
A friend lower on the mountain made a call with his cell phone, and Nowka grabbed the phone as he scrambled down the mountain to meet park rangers and paramedics where their vehicle was parked.
They all hiked back to Raglin with medical supplies, but after seeing the terrain, an Army National Guard helicopter was brought in to lift him out of the area and into a medical helicopter.
He was taken to OU Medical Center, from where he was discharged Saturday afternoon, mother Anita Raglin said.
“From the top of his head to the tip of his toes, he has injuries,” she said.
A fractured skull, bleeding in the brain, a pair of punctured lungs and a broken pelvis are among the worst of his injuries, she said.
“He’s healing fast. It’s quite a miracle, really,” Anita Raglin said. “The people that were down there at the mountain really did not expect him to make it.”
Raglin said he got to a point where it would have been harder to go backward than forward, but unsteady footing sent him tumbling down the mountain. He had landed on a ledge, just feet from another 30-foot drop.
By the time paramedics trekked up the mountain, Sam Raglin had been at the accident site more than five hours, Anita Raglin said.
“They were in the roughest, most isolated part of the park which is that Elk Mountain,” she said.
He surprised doctors, family and the emergency personnel who rescued him by getting onto his feet the next day. He’s been ordered to two weeks of down time while his injuries heal.
“I had so many injuries, and not a single one of them needed surgery or anything like that. I’m really just not in a tremendous amount of pain,” Sam Raglin said.
Everything that happened to him could have killed him, but it didn’t and that’s amazing,” Nowka said.
Anita Raglin said she was impressed by how the former boyhood friends, now men, handled the ordeal.
“They stepped up and acted like men who knew what they were doing,” Anita Raglin said.
This wasn’t the first tragedy to befall the Raglin family this year. A tornado in May destroyed the family home, which was built in Harrah 25 years ago.
Oklahoma outdoors: Caves, wildlife await at Alabaster Caverns State Park
Looking up at the entrance of Owl Cave. (photo courtesy of state Tourism Dept.)
About a week ago, we published some stories about caving and its risks. I ended up going to Alabaster Caverns State Park and talking to two people who work there. I’ll be sure to post some links to that story just in case you all didn’t see it.
But more importantly, I learned some interesting things about the park. So if you’re curious about the caves there and would like to check it out, maybe I can give you a couple of things to think about as you head up there.
First of all, this is one small park. There are farms in Oklahoma County that are bigger than Alabaster’s 200 acres. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in experiences to be had.
The park’s namesake and star attraction is its cave system. These gypsum caves offer a subterranean experience for just about anyone. Those wanting a casual stroll inside can go on guided tours through the main cave.
Part of the guided tour section of the main cave at Alabaster Caverns. (photo courtesy state Tourism Dept.)
Others wanting a more adventurous experience can try “wild caving,” essentially self-guided caving through the park’s four lesser caves. Those wanting to go wild caving need to register with the park, pay a fee ($5 per person) and be in groups of at least three people. There are a number of equipment and clothing requirements to be met before anyone is allowed to go caving in the wild caves.
In talking with Tandy Keenan, the park’s naturalist, she told me that Alabaster Caverns State Park is a good place for beginners. The caves are relatively small (500 to 1,600 feet), rarely have water in them and do not require technical climbing/caving skills. People who go in them will get muddy, however, and there are some tight spaces to wriggle through. So if you’re not into confined spaces and darkness, maybe wild caving isn’t for you.
Caving can be done between April 1 and Sept. 30.
Bats in flight. (John Clanton/The Oklahoman)
Aside from caving and cave tours, Alabaster Caverns is well known for its wildlife. Which in this case, we’re talking about bats.
Several species of bats call the caves home, and many more use the caves as a place to roost during their migrations.
The park has spaces for tent and RV camping, showers, restrooms, a playground and a volleyball court, among other amenities. Hiking trails are also available.
When I was there, the park was doing guided tours for families and a YMCA day camp. In terms of sparking kids’ imaginations, this park may be one of the better places in the state to do that.
Alabaster Caverns State Park is near Freedom in northwest Oklahoma.
Some links about the park:
http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.110
And some more about wild caving:
http://www.newsok.com/article/3473409?searched=caving&custom_click=search
Bob Doucette
Alaskan survivalist Heimo Korth, subject of “The Final Frontiersman,” featured in video special
Awhile back, I read a book about Heimo Korth and his family titled “The Final Frontiersman.” Great book about a resourceful man living in the wilderness of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Here’s a video that illustrates a taste of life for Mr. Korth.
If you like that video, watch the entire special. And definitely pick up the book. It’s one of my favorites.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Oklahoma Backwoods events spotlight hiking, backpacking and kayaking
Time to hit the trail.
I don’t normally plug stuff for retailers, but there are some upcoming activities sponsored by Backwoods stores in Oklahoma City, Norman and Tulsa that may be of interest. Here’s a rundown of what’s on tap in the coming days (information courtesy of Backwoods):
Tulsa hiking club trip
Take a hike with the Backwoods Hiking Club in Tulsa on Saturday. The group will meet at the Turkey Mountain trailhead at 9 a.m.
Hikes will be easy to moderate and anyone with a water bottle and appropriate shoes is invited to participate. Only fees involved are park and vehicle permits, where applicable.
What to bring: A daypack with at least 3 liters of water, snacks, a camera, personal first-aid items/medications, bug spray, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. Tennis shoes or light-hikers are appropriate for this hike, since most trails are hard-packed dirt.
For more information about the monthly hikes, contact Robert at (918) 664-7850 or slsmgrtul@backwoods.com.
How to pack your backpack
In Norman, a seminar on packing correctly for the trail will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Norman store.
Properly loading your backpack is an essential skill for any backcountry enthusiast. Come learn how to distribute the weight of your load correctly to ensure a comfortable fit. Bring your backpack and your gear to this free interactive presentation. No RSVP needed.
This clinic is open to both beginning and experienced backpackers. For more details, contact Pam at slsmgrnor@backwoods.com or call 573-5199.
Kayak demo
In Oklahoma City, there will be a kayak demo day from 5 to 7 p.m. next Wednesday (July 14) at Lake Hefner’s Hobie Point.
The event will be geared to people wanting to try using the Hobie Mirage kayak. For more details contact Tom at gmanagerokc@backwoods.com or call 751-7376.
All of these sounds interesting, so check them out and have some fun outdoors.
Bob Doucette
Veterans Lake at Chickasaw National Recreation Area to close July 19 for dam repairs
If you like to spend time at Veterans lake, you’ll want to read this. In July, the area around the lake will close for dam repairs. Apparently, they’re badly needed. The lake will be open for the holiday weekend, but will shut down shortly after. The following text is from the Chickasaw national Recreation Area…
Lake area to be closed
The Veterans Lake area of Chickasaw National Recreation Area’s Platt Historic District will close to the public on July 19. The closure of the area will allow for two major construction projects to occur. The expected duration of the closure is six to nine months.
In conjunction with the Bureau of Reclamation, the primary project will be a rehabilitation of the Veterans Lake Dam, intended to bring the dam into compliance with modern safety standards. The second project is the construction of the north shore portion of the Veterans Lake Trail, including a new west trailhead parking area. The North Shore trail will be approximately one mile long and be placed between the North Shore Road and the shoreline, with a connecting trail to Rock Creek Campground. The road across the dam and the parking lot at the south end of the dam will be removed and a trail and new parking lot at the north end of the dam will be built as a replacement.
During construction, access to the Veterans Lake area and the Southwest Perimeter Road will be closed from U.S. 177 to Rock Creek Campground. No access will be available to the Bromide Hill parking area, the north trailhead of the Rock Creek Multi-use trail, the Veterans Lake Trail and the Veterans Lake Pavilion during this time.
Incident highlights need for repairs
A recent incident underscores the need for the scheduled rehabilitation of the dam. On June 18, park staff documented a visible slump on the roadway along the top of the Veterans Lake Dam. Essential personnel were notified, and the area was closed. In accordance with established plans the siphon drain was opened and the lake level was lowered. On the morning of June 19, park staff conducted an inspection of the visible portions of the dam to identify the problem. A plan was then developed to determine the cause of the deformity. On June 20, a Bureau of Reclamation engineer investigated and the site was stabilized until the rehabilitation project begins next month. The dam section of Veterans Lake and the lower road was later reopened.
Park Superintendent Bruce Noble said, “Visitors will have access to Veterans Lake and its facilities through the July 4 holiday. When completed, these projects will create a safer and more enjoyable area within the park for visitors to use for many years to come.”
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Bob Doucette
Oklahoma outdoors: Fun things to do with your kids
Here’s a link to some interesting things for families to do, offered by Bass Pro. Take a look and see if this is for you and your little ones:
http://blog.newsok.com/hiccups/2010/06/21/family-summer-camp-comes-to-bass-pro/
Bob Doucette
Arkansas flooding update: Search for missing ends
Here’s a story updating the Arkansas flood tragedy. It appears the search for survivors or victims is over. This is from The Associated Press:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Authorities on Wednesday officially called off the search for victims of the flash flooding that killed 20 people at a western Arkansas campground last week, shifting their focus to assessing damage and cleaning up debris from the disaster.
Gov. Mike Beebe announced that state agencies had ended their role in recovering victims from Friday’s flash flooding at the Albert Pike Recreation Area in Montgomery County. Police on Tuesday identified the final known victim from the flood.
“While the Forest Service will have sole jurisdiction from here forward, Arkansas stands ready to help if any additional assistance is requested,” Beebe said in a statement released by his office.
State police had already scaled back their search efforts on Tuesday, and a spokesman said the state police mobile command center would leave Thursday morning.
“At this time, there has been no other individual noted who may be unaccounted for,” State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said Wednesday.
The U.S. Forest Service said it had shifted its attention to assessing damage from the floods and cleaning up debris. A spokeswoman for the agency said she did not know when the campground would reopen.
“It will likely take a week or so for the initial assessments just to give us a better idea of what kind of damages were caused by the floods,” said Tracy Farley, of the service’s Ouachita National Forest division.
Beebe’s office also said the governor has been in touch with Forest Service officials about potential federal assistance for the victims’ families and for those who assisted with the search efforts.
Lawmakers continued to focus attention on what steps could be taken to better notify campers in remote campsites of impending emergencies.
Sen. Mark Pryor said he planned to meet with Forest Service officials to discuss ways to improve communications. The agency is reviewing how to improve communication after Friday’s flash flooding.
Weather forecasters warned of the flooding four times over the course of an hour. But the campsite did not have a ranger on duty, cell phone service was spotty and weather radio signals did not reach there.
Pryor said the solution may be as simple as warning bells set up at the camp, or an informational campaign.
“My preference would be something simple and low-tech,” Pryor said. “I’ve heard a lot of different ideas over the last few days, but the bottom line is those folks were asleep when this happened and even if they had gotten a radio signal down there … I’m not sure that a lot of them would have heard it.”
Campers would have been told about a flash flood watch posted at midday Thursday, but the flood arrived after 2 a.m. Friday when many were asleep. At times, the Little Missouri River rose eight feet per hour.
Bob Doucette
