Kings Canyon Suspicious Circs / Search

[ShawnInPaso]

Beginning earlier this evening and occurring right now is an investigation in Kings Canyon National Park as heard on 164.750. Park rangers in the back country report a "concerning situation" regarding one or more campers that have not returned to their camp site and rangers have found several (empty) .223 ammo "assualt rifle magazines".

Rangers have coordinated to arrange for a search tomorrow (12/1) with more resources. Next communication on 164.750 is scheduled for 2100 hours.

164.750 is shown as "south park operations". I am not sure of the transmitters specific location but obviously quite high on the west side on Kings Canyon as I routinely listen to it from Paso Robles.

 

[ShawnInPaso]

Radio com for tomorrows search just concluded. Apparently a search by land and air will focus on areas which the camper(s) could have day hiked, to include Twin Lakes, Silliman Pass and possibly Mount Silliman area. The next communication is scheduled for 8AM or 8:30AM on 12/1.

 

[ShawnInPaso]

Just a follow-up to the issue.

From the PCT email list:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks News Release
December 1, 2008
For Immediate Release
Alexandra Picavet 1-559-565-3131
Sequoia National Park Requests Public Assistance in Search Effort
Sequoia National Park is asking for assistance from the public in obtaining
information about an abandoned
campsite near Twin Lakes in Sequoia National Park. The campsite seems to
have much of the gear and food
supplies still in it. No identification from the person who set up the camp
has been found.
The park received a report yesterday from two hikers who noticed the
campsite had not been occupied in more
than 24 hours. This report follows a sketchy report from a hiker
approximately a week ago, but he did not have
much information for rangers to go on. At this time there are no unresolved
reports of overdue hikers, no
abandoned vehicles, and no Wilderness Permits that are associated with this
situation.
A hasty search by two rangers and a helicopter located the abandoned camp
but did not find an associated person.
The investigation is ongoing. The National Park Service is currently asking
for any person who was in the Twin
Lakes area including hiking between Lodgepole and Silliman Pass since
October 31, 2008 to contact rangers with
any information that will aid in this investigation. “We are looking for
information about when this camp was
setup, so even if someone did not see the camp, that would provide
information to our investigation,” Incident
Commander Kyle Nelson said.
The parks dispatch office can be reached at 1-559-565-3341 extension 0, 24
hours a day.

http://www.nps.gov/seki/parknews/newsreleases.htm