Ramsey Cascades Tragedy

We had one clap of thunder and then some rain last night about eleven.  I didn't notice any wind. Apparently, they got a much bigger storm on the Tennessee side of the park.  The radio was abuzz this morning about trees fallen across the roads.  It seemed that most of the park roads were closed. We heard several people discussing downed trees on Little River Road. At one point, a park worker said there must have been a micro-burst as there were thirty to forty trees down in one area.  They had the road blocked.  There were discussing through the day on what to do about it and they eventually decided that it would be too dangerous for men to cut them up with chainsaws.  They decided to close the road and wait for heavy equipment to come in some time this week.

There is a gate at the entrance to the group and host campsites.  We try to keep it closed on weekends and, especially, holiday weekends.  Otherwise, as soon as the small parking lot is filled, people will be parking in the group site. I'm sure the folks who paid for that site would not be too happy about it. The parking lot was already full when we walked around the campground in the morning.  Andy closed the gate on our way up there.

Since we were already up to the road, we continued on it rather than our normal route through the parking lot.  I love the little (short) split-rail fence along this section of road.  Most of the rails are covered with moss.  I think the moss poachers Spence told us about got a lot of their moss from this fence.  Many of the rails are missing their mossy blanket.

At this point, the road loops around into the parking lot.  The campground road is just around the bend.

I noticed this tiny forest of slender plants.  I thought they might be ferns, but they have not opened enough for me to be sure.

Boss Larry, fresh from his vacation, arrived while we were eating. Ranger Jeff arrived shortly thereafter and they went to the campground to empty the iron ranger. They brought all the payment envelopes back and counted them on our picnic table.  We chatted for a bit and then, they were on their way.

Here is another first.  These mushrooms are growing in the gravel walkway in the campground.

I post photos of these boulders in the woods next to the campground road every year.  They are brilliant when the sun hits them just right.

We stood on the bridge and watched these two children in the creek.  They did not get in that frigid water any more than necessary to get from rock to rock.

Another crop of mushrooms has popped up in the moss near the toilet building. They are about as big as a pencil eraser.

I don't remember the time, early to mid-afternoon most likely, when we heard a report of a man who fell forty feet onto rocks at the Ramsey Cascades and they could not see him. Rangers were immediately chiming in.  Ranger Jeff was apparently the first one to the Greenbrier area.  Ranger Heath was not far behind him. It is a long way to get to the waterfall with a five-mile dirt-and-gravel drive into the Greenbrier area from the entrance.  Then it is a four-mile strenuous hike to the falls.

Someone reported a tree down across the road in the park.  I think Ranger Jeff reported it and went on.  Ranger Heath was going to clear the tree from the road so the rescue vehicle could get through. More park personnel were joinging the rescue.  About eighteen were on the way to carry the patient out, clear other park visitors out of the way, interview hikers coming down the trail, etc.  They were having radio trouble and kept having to repeat for dispatch or each other.  Sometimes we could only hear half of a converstation.

It was about seven to seven-thirty when we began to hear them discussing continuing in the morning. The In-Charge ranger said he wanted a report first-hand before making a decision.  Later, he announced that Ranger Jeff had reached the patient.  They would make a recovery in the morning.  All the rescue team on the trail was to drop all their rescue gear where they were.  The trail will be closed until they complete the recovery tomorrow.

It is always distressing when we hear of a death in the park.  It happens way too often for various reasons. I am sure it is hard on the rangers and other park personnel who attempt to rescue park visitors.