WawonaNews.com - October 2012
Missing Yosemite employee found alive
By Patty Guerra [email protected]
October 9, 4 pm
Yosemite National Park
Search teams Tuesday afternoon found a Yosemite National Park employee from Ceres who went missing over the weekend.
Park officials confirmed that a member of Yosemite’s search and rescue team found Jessica Rose Garcia, 23, at about 1 p.m. less than two miles up the South Fork Drainage of the Merced River in the south part of the park. She was hurt, but conscious.
“Overall, she seems to be doing well,” park spokesman Scott Gediman said. “She was able to be short-hauled. This is very, very good.”
Short-haul is what rangers call it when a helicopter lowers a harness on a steel cable, then picks up an individual and carries him or her — with an accompanying ranger — to a nearby meadow. The decision to short-haul Garcia was made because of the rough terrain where she was found.
According to a Facebook page started by Garcia’s family, she was being taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. A post Tuesday afternoon said she suffered a fractured pelvis and fractured femur, but was alert and stable.
Garcia had last been seen at 11:30 a.m. Saturday walking east along Forest Drive after leaving orientation at the Wawona Hotel. She was dressed in her work uniform, a dark green polo shirt and dark green jacket, black slacks and black loafers.
Yosemite National Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb described the area as “very forested”, with steep terrain and some drop-offs. She said temperatures in the area have been in the mid-70s during the day, dropping to the low 40s at night.
Search-and-rescue teams included six dog teams, the park helicopter, rangers on horseback and 23 rangers on foot, Cobb said.
October 9, 4 pm
Yosemite National Park
Search teams Tuesday afternoon found a Yosemite National Park employee from Ceres who went missing over the weekend.
Park officials confirmed that a member of Yosemite’s search and rescue team found Jessica Rose Garcia, 23, at about 1 p.m. less than two miles up the South Fork Drainage of the Merced River in the south part of the park. She was hurt, but conscious.
“Overall, she seems to be doing well,” park spokesman Scott Gediman said. “She was able to be short-hauled. This is very, very good.”
Short-haul is what rangers call it when a helicopter lowers a harness on a steel cable, then picks up an individual and carries him or her — with an accompanying ranger — to a nearby meadow. The decision to short-haul Garcia was made because of the rough terrain where she was found.
According to a Facebook page started by Garcia’s family, she was being taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. A post Tuesday afternoon said she suffered a fractured pelvis and fractured femur, but was alert and stable.
Garcia had last been seen at 11:30 a.m. Saturday walking east along Forest Drive after leaving orientation at the Wawona Hotel. She was dressed in her work uniform, a dark green polo shirt and dark green jacket, black slacks and black loafers.
Yosemite National Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb described the area as “very forested”, with steep terrain and some drop-offs. She said temperatures in the area have been in the mid-70s during the day, dropping to the low 40s at night.
Search-and-rescue teams included six dog teams, the park helicopter, rangers on horseback and 23 rangers on foot, Cobb said.
Yosemite National Park Searching for Missing Park Employee
Date: October 8, 2012 Jessica Rose Garcia, Employed by DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., Last Seen in Wawona Area
Yosemite National Park Rangers are searching for Jessica Rose Garcia, who did not show up for work at the Wawona Hotel. Garcia, a 23 year old female and an employee of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., was scheduled to work at 9:00 a.m. Sunday, October 7, 2012, and did not report for work. This was to be Jessica's first day working at the Wawona Hotel.
Yosemite National Park Rangers checked at her park residence Saturday morning and she was not there. It was determined that Jessica was last seen on the morning of Saturday, October 6, 2012, by a co-worker. She was last seen walking east along Forest Drive near the stables in Wawona at approximately 11:30 a.m. Garcia had just come from an orientation meeting with her supervisor at the Wawona Hotel.
She was dressed in her work uniform, a dark green polo shirt with the DNC logo on it, black slacks and black Rockies work loafers. She was also wearing her dark green DNC jacket, which has the DNC logo on the left side of the chest.
Garcia is a Hispanic female, 5' 03" tall and weighs approximately 170 lbs. She has shoulder length black hair and brown eyes. Garcia is fit and hikes regularly. She is describe as being shy and reserved around strangers. She was in possession of her cell phone and personal ID.
Search and rescue teams include six dog teams, the park helicopter, rangers on horseback and 23 rangers on foot. The search area includes the South Fork of the Merced River and in and around the Wawona area.
Yosemite National Park is asking for assistance with any information on Garcia's whereabouts. Please call the Wawona Ranger Station at 209-375-9520, or Yosemite Dispatch at 209-379-1992, with any information regarding Garcia. The Yosemite Dispatch is available 24-hours per day.
Yosemite National Park Rangers are searching for Jessica Rose Garcia, who did not show up for work at the Wawona Hotel. Garcia, a 23 year old female and an employee of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., was scheduled to work at 9:00 a.m. Sunday, October 7, 2012, and did not report for work. This was to be Jessica's first day working at the Wawona Hotel.
Yosemite National Park Rangers checked at her park residence Saturday morning and she was not there. It was determined that Jessica was last seen on the morning of Saturday, October 6, 2012, by a co-worker. She was last seen walking east along Forest Drive near the stables in Wawona at approximately 11:30 a.m. Garcia had just come from an orientation meeting with her supervisor at the Wawona Hotel.
She was dressed in her work uniform, a dark green polo shirt with the DNC logo on it, black slacks and black Rockies work loafers. She was also wearing her dark green DNC jacket, which has the DNC logo on the left side of the chest.
Garcia is a Hispanic female, 5' 03" tall and weighs approximately 170 lbs. She has shoulder length black hair and brown eyes. Garcia is fit and hikes regularly. She is describe as being shy and reserved around strangers. She was in possession of her cell phone and personal ID.
Search and rescue teams include six dog teams, the park helicopter, rangers on horseback and 23 rangers on foot. The search area includes the South Fork of the Merced River and in and around the Wawona area.
Yosemite National Park is asking for assistance with any information on Garcia's whereabouts. Please call the Wawona Ranger Station at 209-375-9520, or Yosemite Dispatch at 209-379-1992, with any information regarding Garcia. The Yosemite Dispatch is available 24-hours per day.
Fish Camp Post Office to hold a meeting share the results of the survey |
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Yosemite Fire Update #11
October 3, 2012
Click to enlarge
Cascade: (37 46.173 x 119 40.519; 7800’El., Mariposa Co., 6.15.12) The fire continues to show low to moderate fire activity. After recent ground and helicopter observations, the fire is at approximately 1,683acres. Approximately 20% of the perimeter is active on the west flank and is backing down the main fork of Cascade Creek. The fire continues to creep and smolder in light brush and compact needle cast from the red fir forest. Warm weather, dry fuels and stronger nighttime down canyon winds have caused a slight increase in fire spread and behavior.
Yosemite fire crews are finishing both direct and indirect handlines to keep the fire from moving southwest into steeper portions of Cascade Creek and reduce smoke output. The fire is likely to continue spreading west/northwest into continuous red fir and lodgepole pine.
The south, southeast and east flanks are showing very little fire activity and are nearly out and/or cold as the fire has burned into previous handlines, installed to check the fire spread to the southeast, granite and sparse fuels. Little future growth is predicted along those flanks. The fire will continue to be monitored.
Air quality has remained in the good range with no significant health impacts in nearby smoke sensitive areas. Air quality monitors are located in the communities of Foresta, Yosemite West, Yosemite Valley, El Portal and Lee Vining. Smoke from the fire is visible in multiple areas along the Wawona, Big Oak Flat, Glacier Point and Tioga roads. The park’s webcam, located at Crane Flat Helibase, captures fire images, which can be viewed at: http://ssgic.cr.usgs.gov/dashboards/WebCam.htm?
Firefighter and public safety are always the primary importance and consideration with all fires.
For additional Information: Fire Information Officer Gary Wuchner at: [email protected] (209) 372-0480 or 375-9574
Ø Yosemite National Park Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm.
Ø Yosemite Air Quality Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm
Ø Inciweb: http://inciweb.org/incident/3069/
Ø Yosemite Fire Twitter: http://twitter.com#!/YosemiteFire
Ø Yosemite Fire Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-Wildland-Fire/124632964255395
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Join us for a site visit to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
October 2, 2012
On October 9, 2012, from 9 a.m.–noon, park staff working on the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Plan will lead a site visit at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. We'll meet at the South Entrance parking area across the street from the rest rooms at 9 a.m. While at the South Entrance we will explore design options found in the draft concepts. Afterwards we'll drive to the Lower Grove and set off on foot to visit the proposed Grizzly Giant parking hub. We'll be hiking more than a mile, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and bring food and water. Visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/upload/2012-05-30-Open-House.pdf to learn more about the draft concepts. We hope to see you there!
On October 9, 2012, from 9 a.m.–noon, park staff working on the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Plan will lead a site visit at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. We'll meet at the South Entrance parking area across the street from the rest rooms at 9 a.m. While at the South Entrance we will explore design options found in the draft concepts. Afterwards we'll drive to the Lower Grove and set off on foot to visit the proposed Grizzly Giant parking hub. We'll be hiking more than a mile, so be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and bring food and water. Visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/upload/2012-05-30-Open-House.pdf to learn more about the draft concepts. We hope to see you there!
Yosemite Fire Update #10
September 23, 2012
Cascade: (37 46.173 x 119 40.519; 7800’El., Mariposa Co., 6.15.12) The fire continues to show low to moderate fire activity. After recent ground and helicopter observations, the fire is at 1350 acres. Approximately 25 percent of the perimeter is active on the northwest flank. The fire continues to creep and smolder in light brush and compact needle cast from the red fir forest. The south, southeast and east flanks are nearly out and/or cold as the fire has burned into granite and sparse fuels. Little future growth is predicted along those flanks. The fire will continue to be monitored. Air quality has remained in the good range. The park’s webcam, located at Crane Flat Helibase, captures fire images, which can be viewed at: http://ssgic.cr.usgs.gov/dashboards/WebCam.htm?
Firefighter and public safety are always the primary importance and consideration with all fires.
For additional Information: Fire Information Officer Gary Wuchner at: [email protected] (209) 372-0480 or 375-9574
Ø Yosemite National Park Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm.
Ø Yosemite Air Quality Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm
Ø Inciweb: http://inciweb.org/incident/3069/
Ø Yosemite Fire Twitter: http://twitter.com#!/YosemiteFire
Ø Yosemite Fire Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-Wildland-Fire/124632964255395
Firefighter and public safety are always the primary importance and consideration with all fires.
For additional Information: Fire Information Officer Gary Wuchner at: [email protected] (209) 372-0480 or 375-9574
Ø Yosemite National Park Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm.
Ø Yosemite Air Quality Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm
Ø Inciweb: http://inciweb.org/incident/3069/
Ø Yosemite Fire Twitter: http://twitter.com#!/YosemiteFire
Ø Yosemite Fire Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-Wildland-Fire/124632964255395
CONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC DELAYS
Wawona Road-Area Pavement Preservation 9/17/12 Update (September-October)
Starting Tuesday, September 18th, crews will be changing their schedule for the remaining Wawona Road work. The remaining road work will occur during the day between 6:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday with up to 15-minute delays. The remaining work includes fog sealing, shoulder/ditch paving, and placement of shoulder backing, and cleanup. The project is now scheduled for completion at the end of October, 2012. The remaining work will include traffic control with flaggers and pilot car operations.
The schedule change is due to the drop in night time temperatures for paving operations. Please be aware of these traffic delays, as you are trying to schedule your daily activities and reach your destinations. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. (209) 379-1263.
(M. Pieper)
Yosemite Fire Update #9
September 12, 2012
Click to enlarge
Cascade: (37 46.173 x 119 40.519; 7800’El., Mariposa Co., 6.15.12) The fire continues to show low to moderate fire activity. After recent ground observations, the fire is at 1210 acres. Approximately 25 percent of the perimeter is active on the west flank. Most of the fire is creeping and smoldering in light brush and compact needle cast from the red fir forest. The fire will continue to be monitored. Air quality has remained in the good range. The park’s webcam, located at Crane Flat Helibase, captures fire images, which can be viewed at: http://ssgic.cr.usgs.gov/dashboards/WebCam.htm?
Other notes:
There are no new lightning ignited fires in Yosemite. However, the park continues to get reports of, and firefighters are responding to, escaped and unattended campfires. Campers and backpackers are urged to use existing campfire rings and be sure all fires are dead out before leaving a campfire. It is your responsibility, and please note citations can be issued for escaped fires.
Firefighter and public safety are always the primary importance and consideration with all fires.
For additional Information: Fire Information Officer Gary Wuchner at: [email protected] (209) 372-0480 or 375-9574
Ø Yosemite National Park Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm.
Ø Yosemite Air Quality Web page: http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm
Ø Inciweb: http://inciweb.org/incident/3069/
Ø Yosemite Fire Twitter: http://twitter.com#!/YosemiteFire
Ø Yosemite Fire Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-Wildland-Fire/124632964255395
Highway 41 Resurfacing Project
Info from Gloria Rodriquez of Cal Trans responding to questions about the Hwy 41 (outside of Yosemite) resurfacing project.
1. Starting at Big Cedar Springs and going toward Yosemite boundary.
2. Currently doing "profiling" which means there will be a shallow depth removed. THIS Thursday and Friday. (9/13, 9/14)
3. Project will take 30 working days ( M-F) ending about the end of next month ( October). NO WEEKENDS.
4. Hours of work 7:00 a.m - 6:00 p.m.
4. Traffic will have 10-15 minute delays with flaggers.
Wawona Road-Area Pavement Preservation
9/11/12 Update (June-September)(M. Pieper)
The Wawona Road work continues and last night (9/10/12) crews began
grinding the centerline rumble strip and plan to have it all ground by
weeks end. They are continuing to work Sunday thru Thursday nights, 7:00 PM
to 7:00 AM. There will also be intermittent daytime work from 7:00 AM to
7:00 PM as another crew will be completing spot repairs, and cleanup. This
work will include 15-minute traffic delays, as well as flaggers and a pilot
car operation to control traffic.
The Wawona Road work continues and last night (9/10/12) crews began
grinding the centerline rumble strip and plan to have it all ground by
weeks end. They are continuing to work Sunday thru Thursday nights, 7:00 PM
to 7:00 AM. There will also be intermittent daytime work from 7:00 AM to
7:00 PM as another crew will be completing spot repairs, and cleanup. This
work will include 15-minute traffic delays, as well as flaggers and a pilot
car operation to control traffic.
Flu Shot Clinic
There will be a Flu Shot Clinic in Wawona on Thursday, October 4, 2012 between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. at the Wawona Community Center. More details soon.
Third person dies form hantavirus
By NBC News staff and wire reports
Updated at 8:12 a.m. ET: A third person has died from the rare, rodent-carried hantavirus after visiting Yosemite National Park, bringing the total number of infected persons to eight and prompting warnings that the virus is not contained to just one area of the park, health officials said. |
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Yosemite National Park doubled the scope of its warning on Thursday to some 22,000 visitors who may have been exposed to the deadly mouse-borne disease.
U.S. officials had recently sounded a worldwide alert, saying that up to 10,000 people were thought to be at risk of contracting Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) after staying at "Signature Tents" at the Curry Village lodging area between June and August.
As many as 2,500 of those individuals live outside the United States, health officials said.
Read more on this story on NBCLosAngeles.com
Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman identified the third fatality as a West Virginia resident who contracted hantavirus while staying in Curry Village tent cabins in June. The person died at the end of July, and laboratory tests confirmed on Thursday that the death was due to hantavirus, he said.
Since June, eight park visitors, including six from California, have contracted the virus, according to Yosemite officials. Three of those infections have been fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hantavirus is spread by contact with infected rodents, primarily deer mice.
On Thursday, it was revealed that the virus is not confined to Curry Village, according to a statement from the park.
One of the infected campers, who exhibited mild symptoms and is recovering, stayed in multiple High Sierra Camps in Yosemite in July.
The five High Sierra Camps are similar to the Curry Village tent cabins, but they're spaced about six to 10 miles apart and are accessible only via backpacking trails at higher elevation than Yosemite Valley.
US officials sound worldwide alert for Yosemite hantavirus
The other seven cases have all been connected to the historic Curry Village tent cabins, which were recently been closed to the public.
No cure
It can take up to six weeks for symptoms of the virus to show, though they usually appear two to four weeks after exposure. Early stage symptoms include fatigue, fever and body aches, and can rapidly progress to severe difficulty breathing.
While there is no cure for hantavirus, oxygen treatment can increase the chance of survival for infected persons in severe respiratory distress and early detection is key, CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said.
Hantavirus was first thrust into the public's awareness in 1993, when the virus was identified during an outbreak in the southwestern U.S.
CDC officials say the 1993 outbreak – which infected 42 people from 12 states – is the most comparable incident to the current outbreak.
Health officials at the time scrambled to figure out what was making people sick, and though great strides have been made in the study of the virus, there are still many questions that surround it, said Craig Manning, with the Viral Special Pathogens Branch of the CDC.
Cluster of deadly hantavirus cases worries officials
"There was higher than normal rainfall during the summer of 1993 and that led to a dramatic increase in the population of deer mice, which resulted in more opportunities for humans to be exposed to the virus," Manning said.
Since 1993, there have been 60 cases in California and 602 cases nationally, Manning said, describing the infections as "quite rare."
About one-third of California cases have been fatal, in line with the virus' fatality rate which hovers at around 36 percent.
'Fortunate to be alive': Girl, 7, contracts bubonic plague at Colorado campground
Deer mice
Manning said the recent outbreak has caused people to worry that a house- or field mouse may pose a threat to them.
"The virus is very specific as to its preference for hosts," he said, adding that deer mice can be distinguished by their reddish-brown fur and white underbelly, and are smaller than field mice.
The deer mouse is one of four rodents which can carry the virus found in every state in the U.S. The white-footed mouse, cotton rat and rice rat can also host Hantavirus.
Deer mice are the most common carriers on the virus, and about 12 percent of their population is positive for Hantavirus.
California Department of Public Health officials issued the following advice for those going to wilderness areas where mice area present:
NBCLosAngeles.com and Reuters contributed to this report.
U.S. officials had recently sounded a worldwide alert, saying that up to 10,000 people were thought to be at risk of contracting Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) after staying at "Signature Tents" at the Curry Village lodging area between June and August.
As many as 2,500 of those individuals live outside the United States, health officials said.
Read more on this story on NBCLosAngeles.com
Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman identified the third fatality as a West Virginia resident who contracted hantavirus while staying in Curry Village tent cabins in June. The person died at the end of July, and laboratory tests confirmed on Thursday that the death was due to hantavirus, he said.
Since June, eight park visitors, including six from California, have contracted the virus, according to Yosemite officials. Three of those infections have been fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hantavirus is spread by contact with infected rodents, primarily deer mice.
On Thursday, it was revealed that the virus is not confined to Curry Village, according to a statement from the park.
One of the infected campers, who exhibited mild symptoms and is recovering, stayed in multiple High Sierra Camps in Yosemite in July.
The five High Sierra Camps are similar to the Curry Village tent cabins, but they're spaced about six to 10 miles apart and are accessible only via backpacking trails at higher elevation than Yosemite Valley.
US officials sound worldwide alert for Yosemite hantavirus
The other seven cases have all been connected to the historic Curry Village tent cabins, which were recently been closed to the public.
No cure
It can take up to six weeks for symptoms of the virus to show, though they usually appear two to four weeks after exposure. Early stage symptoms include fatigue, fever and body aches, and can rapidly progress to severe difficulty breathing.
While there is no cure for hantavirus, oxygen treatment can increase the chance of survival for infected persons in severe respiratory distress and early detection is key, CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said.
Hantavirus was first thrust into the public's awareness in 1993, when the virus was identified during an outbreak in the southwestern U.S.
CDC officials say the 1993 outbreak – which infected 42 people from 12 states – is the most comparable incident to the current outbreak.
Health officials at the time scrambled to figure out what was making people sick, and though great strides have been made in the study of the virus, there are still many questions that surround it, said Craig Manning, with the Viral Special Pathogens Branch of the CDC.
Cluster of deadly hantavirus cases worries officials
"There was higher than normal rainfall during the summer of 1993 and that led to a dramatic increase in the population of deer mice, which resulted in more opportunities for humans to be exposed to the virus," Manning said.
Since 1993, there have been 60 cases in California and 602 cases nationally, Manning said, describing the infections as "quite rare."
About one-third of California cases have been fatal, in line with the virus' fatality rate which hovers at around 36 percent.
'Fortunate to be alive': Girl, 7, contracts bubonic plague at Colorado campground
Deer mice
Manning said the recent outbreak has caused people to worry that a house- or field mouse may pose a threat to them.
"The virus is very specific as to its preference for hosts," he said, adding that deer mice can be distinguished by their reddish-brown fur and white underbelly, and are smaller than field mice.
The deer mouse is one of four rodents which can carry the virus found in every state in the U.S. The white-footed mouse, cotton rat and rice rat can also host Hantavirus.
Deer mice are the most common carriers on the virus, and about 12 percent of their population is positive for Hantavirus.
California Department of Public Health officials issued the following advice for those going to wilderness areas where mice area present:
- Avoid areas, especially indoors, where wild rodents are likely to have been present.
- Keep food in tightly sealed containers and store away from rodents.
- Keep rodents out of buildings by removing stacked wood, rubbish piles, and discarded junk from around homes and sealing any holes where rodents could enter.
- If you can clean your sleeping or living area, open windows to air out the areas for at least two hours before entering. Take care not to stir up dust. Wear plastic gloves and spray areas contaminated with rodent droppings and urine with a 10% bleach solution or other household disinfectants and wait at least 15 minutes before cleaning the area. Place the waste in double plastic bags, each tightly sealed, and discard in the trash. Wash hands thoroughly afterward - Do not touch or handle live rodents and wear gloves when handling dead rodents. Spray dead rodents with a disinfectant and dispose of in the same way as droppings. Wash hands thoroughly after handling dead rodents.
- If there are large numbers of rodents in a home or other buildings, contact a pest control service to remove them.
NBCLosAngeles.com and Reuters contributed to this report.
