Fun_People Archive
17 Jun
People in Parks (a dangerous situation...)

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 96 21:14:10 -0700
To: Fun_People
Subject: People in Parks (a dangerous situation...)

Forwarded-by: Eric Steese <ecscc@olywa.net>
Forwarded-by: "Canavan, Margaret" <mcanavan@MSPO4.MED.UTMB.EDU>

In 1994, a woman visiting from the Bay Area embarked on a solo hike to the
summit of El Capitan in Yosemite. When she became lost and saw a storm
brewing, she called 911 from her cellular phone and asked to be rescued.
A helicopter found her barely off the trail and one-fourth to half a mile
from the top of El Cap. When the 'copter lifted off and the woman saw how
close she was to her summit goal, she asked the crew to set her down on top.
When the crew declined, she threatened to sue them for kidnapping.


.... ever alert to terrorism

A group of European visitors came into the Wawona ranger station in Yosemite
National Park and said, "Our car is parked at the trail head and it's been
blown up by terrorists." Though rangers expressed some doubt, the visitors
insisted that a bomb had exploded in their car and that they could see
powder residue from the explosives. Investigating rangers indeed found that
a door had been torn off and a powder-like substance--pancake flour--was
strewn about the car."They were quite embarrassed when we showed them the
bear prints," the ranger said.


... caring for the creatures

A woman, appearing rather distraught, came into the visitor center at
Redwood National Park in California to report that she had seen several
Irish setters lying along the edge of the highway and she feared they were
dead or injured.  Rangers explained to her that these were pieces of redwood
bark that had fallen off logging trucks.


.... back-seat driving, as always

When an elderly couple stopped to film some bears at Dunraven Pass in
Yellowstone, a young bear crawled into their car searching for food.  Unable
to make the bear leave, the exasperated (but well-dressed) couple drove
about 17 miles to the ranger station at Canyon Village with the bear in the
backseat. When the husband got out to report the incident, the bear hopped
over into the front seat so that investigating rangers found the woman in
the passenger seat and the bear behind the wheel.

© 1996 Peter Langston