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Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues

Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues January 6th, 2009 @ 7:29pm By MIKE STARK, Associated Press Writer

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — If you’re a guy in your 20s on a day hike in a national park in Utah, step carefully. You’re among the most likely to need rescuing.

Between 2001 and 2005, there were more than 1,100 search and rescue operations at National Park Service units in the state, according to a new study. Of those, 60 percent involved men and most ran into problems while on a day hike or boating.

The biggest sources of trouble? Take your pick from fatigue, heat, darkness, insufficient equipment and not wearing the proper clothing.

The most common culprit, though, was bad judgment or lack of good information, according to the study headed by Travis Heggie, an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota.

He’s hoping the park service will do more — especially on the Web — to educate visitors about how to stay out of trouble in the parks.

“The best time to get people the safety message is before they leave the house,” Heggie said.

In 2007, $4.7 million was spent in national parks across the country looking for lost, stranded or injured visitors, according to Park Service figures. More than 97 percent of searches were successful within 24 hours.

Although search efforts often make headlines at Grand Canyon, Yosemite and parks in Alaska, Utah’s five national parks and five national monuments draw about 8 million visits per year — and a few visitors are bound to run into trouble.

the rest: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5249408

Tom

Message Details

AuthorTom Jones
DateJanuary 7, 2009
Discussion3 replies
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  • adkramoo

    — In Yahoo Canyons Group, craig crow wrote:

    does anybody know the conditions of shenanigans, and Hog 1 and 2

    Arrrrgh! This AM I had a whole detailed post written on Shennany and was reviewing it when the power went one for 1/2 second. Lost. Gone good bye, along with my stomach for rewriting it. You have rallied me. Something on it by tomorrow.High winds on the Front Range today Ram

  • craig crow

    does anybody know the conditions of shenanigans, and Hog 1 and 2

    ________________________________ From: Tom Jones ratagonia@gmail.com> To: Yahoo Canyons Group Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2009 8:43:03 AM Subject: [from Canyons Group] Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues

    Study: Glen Canyon, Zion lead in Utah park rescues January 6th, 2009 @ 7:29pm By MIKE STARK, Associated Press Writer

    SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — If you’re a guy in your 20s on a day hike in a national park in Utah, step carefully. You’re among the most likely to need rescuing.

    Between 2001 and 2005, there were more than 1,100 search and rescue operations at National Park Service units in the state, according to a new study. Of those, 60 percent involved men and most ran into problems while on a day hike or boating.

    The biggest sources of trouble? Take your pick from fatigue, heat, darkness, insufficient equipment and not wearing the proper clothing.

    The most common culprit, though, was bad judgment or lack of good information, according to the study headed by Travis Heggie, an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota.

    He’s hoping the park service will do more — especially on the Web — to educate visitors about how to stay out of trouble in the parks.

    “The best time to get people the safety message is before they leave the house,” Heggie said.

    In 2007, $4.7 million was spent in national parks across the country looking for lost, stranded or injured visitors, according to Park Service figures. More than 97 percent of searches were successful within 24 hours.

    Although search efforts often make headlines at Grand Canyon, Yosemite and parks in Alaska, Utah’s five national parks and five national monuments draw about 8 million visits per year — and a few visitors are bound to run into trouble.

    the rest: http://www.ksl. com/?nid= 148&sid=5249408

    Tom

  • In a related article:

    http://tinyurl.com/4ytxuv

    A cursory comparison made it look like Zion is outsize the red zone. Better management / better info?

    ~r