Date of Incident: June 10, 1999 River: Colorado Section of River: Cataract Canyon Location on River: Near Spanish Bottom, Mile 213.3 Relative Flow: N/A Gage Reading: N/A Difficulty: N/A Type of Incident: Hiking Fall Injuries: Broken Arm Type of Trip: Private Type of Boat: Canoes
Description
At 14:00 a woman, age unknown, fell and broke an arm while hiking down the Doll House Trail near Spanish Bottom. Her party had just completed a multi-day canoe trip on the Green River and was to be picked up by a commercial boating service and taken to Moab the following day. About 15 minutes after the accident the woman was found by three boatmen of a commercial river party who were equipped with two portable radios and a cellular telephone. The boatmen administered first aid and called by radio to the Park Service for assistance.
In Retrospect
1) This incident was quickly concluded because of the presence and communication equipment of trained commercial boatmen.
2) Although not a life threatening situation, a helicopter was determined the best means of transportation because of the remoteness of the area. The patient's discomfort was a major consideration in deciding against the length of time necessary for a boat evacuation.
The River Journal of Black George In 1956, Black George lead a USGS mapping trip down the Green River and Cataract Canyon. more...
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Did You Know?
The dirt is alive! A living crust called "Biological Soil Crust" covers much of Canyonlands and the surrounding area. Composed of algae, lichens and bacteria, this crust provides a secure foundation for desert plants. Please stay on roads and trails to avoid trampling this important resource.
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