Accident at Nellie Juan 3/1/09...
- Thread starter bgreen776
- Start date
Location: Nellie Juan Lake - Seward Area
Case number: 09-16830
Type: Search and Rescue
Text: On 3/1/09, at about 1600 hours, Troopers received a report of an
emergency personal locator beacon activation near Nellie Juan Lake near
Seward. A search was initiated with personnel from the Alaska State
Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, US Forest Service Rangers, and the
Alaska State Troopers Helo 1. An investigation found that a group of
snow machiners had been traveling near Nellie Juan Lake when they came
upon a crevasse that they did not see. Several of the snow machines
went into the crevasse and Walter Gilmour, 46 of Wasilla, was injured in
the crash. Jennifer Messick, 34 of Wasilla, was found to be hypothermic
and both she and Gilmour were transported out of the area by Helo 1.
Gilmour and Messick were treated at the Seward Hospital for non life
threatening injuries.
Author: DJC09
Received Monday, March 02, 2009 10:02 AM and posted Monday, March 02, 2009 10:30 AM
Case number: 09-16830
Type: Search and Rescue
Text: On 3/1/09, at about 1600 hours, Troopers received a report of an
emergency personal locator beacon activation near Nellie Juan Lake near
Seward. A search was initiated with personnel from the Alaska State
Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, US Forest Service Rangers, and the
Alaska State Troopers Helo 1. An investigation found that a group of
snow machiners had been traveling near Nellie Juan Lake when they came
upon a crevasse that they did not see. Several of the snow machines
went into the crevasse and Walter Gilmour, 46 of Wasilla, was injured in
the crash. Jennifer Messick, 34 of Wasilla, was found to be hypothermic
and both she and Gilmour were transported out of the area by Helo 1.
Gilmour and Messick were treated at the Seward Hospital for non life
threatening injuries.
Author: DJC09
Received Monday, March 02, 2009 10:02 AM and posted Monday, March 02, 2009 10:30 AM
That's good to hear. Seems like a lot of incidents lately. Be careful out there.
And the Rest of the Story
I was leading the group on the glacier when this all happened. And I wanted to make sure that riders might learn from this experience. First off we are all doing fine, and the one fella who was airlifted is out of the hospital and doing fine (other than bummed that no more riding this year).
This mishap was not as much a result of riding on glacier as it was something that could have just as well happened on level ground or coming off a mountain. We didn't open any crevasses or anything like that it was a simple matter of coming off the hill into the sun and came over a little rise and there was the hole. I have been riding these glaciers and snowfields on the Kenai penniisula for 20 years and this is the first accident of anykind we have had.
The point of all this is because of the fact that we were all carring various kinds of survival gear, we were dressed appropriately and above all had the training (first aid, rescue, etc.), the one fella that was airlifted out is alive today.
Some of things you might concider carring in your backpack would be a couple of space blankets (not the little ones), first aid kit, climbing rope, at least a half dozen heat packs, shovel, 12' of 1" webbing, and above all some kind of comunications (sat phone, acer, or spot transmitter).
Thanks again for the concern and hope to see you in the mountains and above all remember that the most important thing that you have for a safe ride is between your shoulders.
JIm
I was leading the group on the glacier when this all happened. And I wanted to make sure that riders might learn from this experience. First off we are all doing fine, and the one fella who was airlifted is out of the hospital and doing fine (other than bummed that no more riding this year).
This mishap was not as much a result of riding on glacier as it was something that could have just as well happened on level ground or coming off a mountain. We didn't open any crevasses or anything like that it was a simple matter of coming off the hill into the sun and came over a little rise and there was the hole. I have been riding these glaciers and snowfields on the Kenai penniisula for 20 years and this is the first accident of anykind we have had.
The point of all this is because of the fact that we were all carring various kinds of survival gear, we were dressed appropriately and above all had the training (first aid, rescue, etc.), the one fella that was airlifted out is alive today.
Some of things you might concider carring in your backpack would be a couple of space blankets (not the little ones), first aid kit, climbing rope, at least a half dozen heat packs, shovel, 12' of 1" webbing, and above all some kind of comunications (sat phone, acer, or spot transmitter).
Thanks again for the concern and hope to see you in the mountains and above all remember that the most important thing that you have for a safe ride is between your shoulders.
JIm
Awesome 1st post Jim! Welcome to the forum....I'm glad you guys were prepared, took care of business and everyone made it home safey! Cheers!
T
theultrarider
Well-known member
Glacier rider,
Thanks for taking the time to update us on what happened up there. I can see that with the sun this time of year. Something to watch for, for sure. Glad all turned out well.
Thanks for taking the time to update us on what happened up there. I can see that with the sun this time of year. Something to watch for, for sure. Glad all turned out well.
And the Rest of the Story
I was leading the group on the glacier when this all happened. And I wanted to make sure that riders might learn from this experience. First off we are all doing fine, and the one fella who was airlifted is out of the hospital and doing fine (other than bummed that no more riding this year).
This mishap was not as much a result of riding on glacier as it was something that could have just as well happened on level ground or coming off a mountain. We didn't open any crevasses or anything like that it was a simple matter of coming off the hill into the sun and came over a little rise and there was the hole. I have been riding these glaciers and snowfields on the Kenai penniisula for 20 years and this is the first accident of anykind we have had.
The point of all this is because of the fact that we were all carring various kinds of survival gear, we were dressed appropriately and above all had the training (first aid, rescue, etc.), the one fella that was airlifted out is alive today.
Some of things you might concider carring in your backpack would be a couple of space blankets (not the little ones), first aid kit, climbing rope, at least a half dozen heat packs, shovel, 12' of 1" webbing, and above all some kind of comunications (sat phone, acer, or spot transmitter).
Thanks again for the concern and hope to see you in the mountains and above all remember that the most important thing that you have for a safe ride is between your shoulders.
JIm
I was leading the group on the glacier when this all happened. And I wanted to make sure that riders might learn from this experience. First off we are all doing fine, and the one fella who was airlifted is out of the hospital and doing fine (other than bummed that no more riding this year).
This mishap was not as much a result of riding on glacier as it was something that could have just as well happened on level ground or coming off a mountain. We didn't open any crevasses or anything like that it was a simple matter of coming off the hill into the sun and came over a little rise and there was the hole. I have been riding these glaciers and snowfields on the Kenai penniisula for 20 years and this is the first accident of anykind we have had.
The point of all this is because of the fact that we were all carring various kinds of survival gear, we were dressed appropriately and above all had the training (first aid, rescue, etc.), the one fella that was airlifted out is alive today.
Some of things you might concider carring in your backpack would be a couple of space blankets (not the little ones), first aid kit, climbing rope, at least a half dozen heat packs, shovel, 12' of 1" webbing, and above all some kind of comunications (sat phone, acer, or spot transmitter).
Thanks again for the concern and hope to see you in the mountains and above all remember that the most important thing that you have for a safe ride is between your shoulders.
JIm
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