Thanks to a great Glacier Park team for September rescue

Glacier National Park is a jewel in the crown we know as Northwest Montana. Glacier Park is critical to our local economy and our most accessible recreation site throughout the year. Glacier Park is operated and maintained by an incredibly professional and proficient staff, led by Superintendent Jeff Mow.

The professionals who operate and preserve Glacier Park deal with a host of issues involving the people who come to the park to hike, fish, camp, and enjoy the beauty that permeates the park. The visitors are greeted by a knowledgeable staff of naturalists and guides who open the many wonders of the park in talks, walks, and visitor centers.

But the park has its dangers, and the park staff does all it can to keep visitors safe, informed of hazards and risks, and to respond whenever people need help.

In late August 2015, a serious situation arose when two park employees were reported missing from a day-hike in the high country. Phillip Wilson and the park staff responded swiftly and professionally to the initial reports. Park Incident Commander Ed Visnocke and the women’s supervisor, Mark Biel, organized a search operation. For the next 24 hours the park radio dispatchers, Shawna Reid, Rich Butterfield, Emily O’Niel, John Kelley, Tracy Brissette, and Bridget Gross maintained communications with the search team of 40 park employees as they combed the planned route of the hikers.

The search team members are too numerous to mention here, but they worked throughout the day trying to find the women who, as it turned out, had broken bones the day before somewhere above Avalanche Lake. By the end of Aug. 31, the hikers were still missing, and the search operation continued.

That night, park leaders asked Two Bear Air helicopter service to commit their night-vision-equipped helicopter to the search during the hours of darkness. Early the next morning, Sept. 1,  the Two Bear helicopter located the women, who were still alive but cold after two nights on the mountain. Shortly after daylight, the helicopter, under the command of Jim Pierce and Jordan White, lifted the women to the safety of park headquarters, where an ambulance was ready to take them to KRMC.

There is no question in my mind that these women, one of whom is my granddaughter, were saved by the park’s search efforts, the commitment of Mr. Mike Goguen’s helicopter, and the superb individual efforts of the search team.

I am more thankful than ever for Glacier National Park, for its wonderful leaders and staff, for Mike Goguen, and for the crew of the Two Bear Helicopter. Thank you all for saving the lives of two wonderful women. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Wheeler is a resident of the West Valley.

Glacier National Park is a jewel in the crown we know as Northwest Montana. Glacier Park is critical to our local economy and our most accessible recreation site throughout the year. Glacier Park is operated and maintained by an incredibly professional and proficient staff, led by Superintendent Jeff Mow.

The professionals who operate and preserve Glacier Park deal with a host of issues involving the people who come to the park to hike, fish, camp, and enjoy the beauty that permeates the park. The visitors are greeted by a knowledgeable staff of naturalists and guides who open the many wonders of the park in talks, walks, and visitor centers.

But the park has its dangers, and the park staff does all it can to keep visitors safe, informed of hazards and risks, and to respond whenever people need help.

In late August 2015, a serious situation arose when two park employees were reported missing from a day-hike in the high country. Phillip Wilson and the park staff responded swiftly and professionally to the initial reports. Park Incident Commander Ed Visnocke and the women’s supervisor, Mark Biel, organized a search operation. For the next 24 hours the park radio dispatchers, Shawna Reid, Rich Butterfield, Emily O’Niel, John Kelley, Tracy Brissette, and Bridget Gross maintained communications with the search team of 40 park employees as they combed the planned route of the hikers.

The search team members are too numerous to mention here, but they worked throughout the day trying to find the women who, as it turned out, had broken bones the day before somewhere above Avalanche Lake. By the end of Aug. 31, the hikers were still missing, and the search operation continued.

That night, park leaders asked Two Bear Air helicopter service to commit their night-vision-equipped helicopter to the search during the hours of darkness. Early the next morning, Sept. 1,  the Two Bear helicopter located the women, who were still alive but cold after two nights on the mountain. Shortly after daylight, the helicopter, under the command of Jim Pierce and Jordan White, lifted the women to the safety of park headquarters, where an ambulance was ready to take them to KRMC.

There is no question in my mind that these women, one of whom is my granddaughter, were saved by the park’s search efforts, the commitment of Mr. Mike Goguen’s helicopter, and the superb individual efforts of the search team.

I am more thankful than ever for Glacier National Park, for its wonderful leaders and staff, for Mike Goguen, and for the crew of the Two Bear Helicopter. Thank you all for saving the lives of two wonderful women. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Wheeler is a resident of the West Valley.