3 Park Rangers Who Died in HORRIFIC Ways⚠️
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- čas přidán 10. 06. 2024
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3 stories of Park Rangers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
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Jeff was a friend of mine. New ordinance was put in place since his death and we’re all much safer in the park now with more backcountry protocol. He is still honored to this day. May he rest in peace ♥️
I’m sorry for your loss.
R.I.P.
Sorry about your buddy
Thank you for offering some insight into this story. I’m also glad we’re able to have an example to help humanize these stories as well, some might hear them without considering these stories do affect people. I’m thankful you’re here to share his story :)
RiP 🖤
Story #1. When it comes to head injuries, it isnt uncommon to act irrationally. So, he may not have even thought about the radio or been able to remember how it works.
Yes. He could have been disoriented, and soon died from brain swelling or hemorrhage. His radio could also have been damaged from his fall.
The radio could have fallen out of its bracket, it could have been broken… Nothing super unusual
head injury before the fall?
Yes especially after stubbing his toe and falling from nowhere. Then he had to put the bandages on so he was probably tired from that.
🤣🕳
Kyle, if you fall into cold water and drown, your body will not surface. Normally a body in water will undergo decomposition and gases will build up inside the body that cause it to float up to the surface. But if the water is very cold, these gases don't form. You just sink to the bottom of the water and are eaten by fish. I know this, because I used to live near Lake Tahoe, another very cold lake, and nobody who dies in that lake ever floats to the surface.
I live near Lake Superior in Michigan and I can confirm this.
While this is true, most agencies require the use of personal floatation devices. Of course, he may not have been wearing his at the time.
As an avid watcher of other 'scary fates' types of channels (Like "Scary Interesting") I mention that I have also seen several other stories, especially cave diving ones, where people remain in the deep the whole time. Diving sometimes is kept down by weighted gear too, but there were stories where that shouldn't have mattered, but in a cold-water cave, they did not float when they should have. The Great Lakes in the US are also famous for many of the deep ones 'not giving up their dead'. Whole SHIPS that go down or capsize too fast have had semi-preserved bodies retained within them, and no, don't look up images for that, it's pretty dreadful.
Thank you I did not know that about falling in the cold water that you would think not float to the top so I learned something new today
I noticed that sometimes you offer your heartfelt feelings, not only to the survivors, but also to the person that died. And I think it speaks to the notion that somehow we’ll see them and be together again, which is a sentiment of many, and not just the religious. I appreciate that as a viewer and I think it’s beautiful.
That was a kind thing to say.
#2. For the overturned canoe, I do not understand why a Park Ranger would not be wearing a life-vest? Idk, what standard protocol is, but it would seem like Park Pangers would wear life-vests...even if just as a rule to set an example for visitors. I am certainly, in no way "blaming the victim." It is just so sad when remains are not found and there is not the opportunity for the friends and family to follow-through with after life ceremonies and remembrances that would help them begin to move forward, knowing that his final wishes and their need to understand what happened are met in the best capacity possible.
Lots of kayakers in my area of Alaska. My heart goes out to the lost and the grieving.
@@Sheltowee1775 I cosign this comment! I've noticed this too. He is very sympathetic to the people involved.
RIP to the Rangers in this video. Thank you for your care and service.
Margarets story is truly heartbreaking! Its one thing for a ranger to go by accident but to be executed is a tragedy! May all 3 Rangers Rest In Peace!!
I remember hearing that story shortly after it happened
😢❤
My friends brother is a Park Ranger. In rhe mid 90s he was out on patrol at Lake Grapevine in Texas. He saw a group on the beach that looked a little rowdy. He pulled closer to check it out when he was greeted with a hail of bullets. His boat was riddled but he didnt get hit. Lesson learned is all he had to say about it
There are two factors that impact a drowning victim coming to the surface, decomposition, and depth. Decomposition creates gas with creates lift to bring them to the surface, if the water is cold the bacteria is inhibited from growing. The second is depth, the deeper the victim is the more gas is needed to overcome the water pressure. At 33 feet you need twice as much gas to displace the same volume of water. One cubic foot of air on the surface is equal to one half at 33 feet, then half of that again at 66ft and so on. Yellowstone Lake is deep and very cold so it does not surprise me that he has not been found at the surface. May all these people be at peace and their families find solace.
In your discussion of the physics of dead bodies underwater, I find it comical to see how you use a subject that every last listless First World monkey meathead is fascinated by - that being, of course, victims of serial killers, and disposing of dead bodies - to teach a subject that almost no one is interested in - that being several concepts from physics, such as Archimedes Principle and buoyancy and isostasy and lift, that arise wrt media of varying densities in the presence of a gravitational field. It's why I wasn't surprised to see that your basic analysis was wrong or mis-stated or critically missing something - probably, like your audience, from spending too much time focused on dead bodies, and not enough on physical principles.
Exactly what I was thinking. It's the same reason that the Great Lakes are known for not giving up their dead, and also preserving shipwrecks well. Bodies just don't float as well in deep, cold water.
I believe that if falling into extremely cold water it can trigger a shock reflex that causes you to involuntarily inhale, so drowning happens incredibly quickly, despite perhaps being physically able to theoretically overcome the canoe overturning.
I suppose the only other possibility is that he actually capsized nowhere near where they thought (and wind blew canoe to found location) and climbed out, but unable to hike somewhere safe- succumbing to hypothermia. I suspect a less likely scenario.
Minor discrepancy with Yellowstone Lake you didn't account for. The caldera...
Yellowstone lake isn't a "cold" lake. Average temperatures at the surface range from the low 40s to the mid 60s, while at the bottom it can be 150F+
Yes, the lake is more than cold enough to kill. No, it's not typically cold enough to prevent bacterial decomposition.
@@nunyabidness674 Thanks for the reply. The National Park Service Yellowstone reports the surface temperature of the lake at 41 degrees F and since warm water rises and cold water sinks, the temperature at depth must be lower than 41 degrees. You are correct that it is in a caldera but then again so is all of Yellowstone. There is an area reported by the park to have a temperature of 252 degrees at Mary Bay and they described it as akin to hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean's mid-ocean ridge. Additionally the fish that live in the lake require cold temperatures, Cutthroat trout and the like. I think these proofs support my hypothesis.
The NPS has a terrific website regarding the lake and you might find it interesting!
Again, thanks for the reply!
Nearly 70 years ago my father was forestry. Officer in Northern Michigan. My mother saved up to buy him a gun which the Department did not provide. It's never been all that safe.
Right and they should always have a gun for protection because now it could be anything out there now 😮
@@charlesdial7152 Yes, and it was still pretty sketchy in the old days. Communication was difficult and poaching was rampant. He worked in some very remote areas.
@@elizabethmcglothlin5406Was that a federal or state position at the time and akin to being a conservation officer, by chance?
@@wmluna381 State I think. The tag of conservation came later. Up north the poaching of both animals and timber was a problem. He also worked the the fire towers.
@@elizabethmcglothlin5406Ah, I see, thanks for clarifying. I've always been interested in the fire tower thing. I didn't know they had that here in-state. Wonder if they still do.
I do wish the fines and jail penalties here in MI were more stiff for the jackasses who poach, etc. Last I saw (have been signed up as a 'customer' for the MI-DNR emails for awhile now), and saw that it's still only like $500 and/or 30-90 days MAX in the pokey for/per a violation. Ridiculous!!!
I also recall, at some point within the last 2 or 3 years, a guy was poaching a ridiculous number of animals (including eagles...I can't remember if they were bald or not and if we have those particular kinds here, but they *were* eagles) and a follow-up email came thru which gave an update that he was punished NO WAY NEAR what he should have been. Slap on the wrist level in comparison to the level of entitled animal killing he did. IMO (and I am sure in plenty of others' should they have seen the same details I did) it was an infuriating outcome, truly.
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
Kyle, thank you for this video. I am a state park law enforcement ranger in a southwest border state.while we don't face violent criminals as often as city police or Sheriff's deputies, the potential is always there, and back up is always a long way off. Thank you for acknowledging this. As for the Yellowstone ranger, it is not surprising he hasn't been found. When you fall into cold water, you often gasp involuntary, and can aspirate water into the lungs, causing you to sink. I work at a leke park, have seen this happen more than once. That ranger is still down there, on eternal patrol. God rest, sir.
Since you're located in a southern border state, have you noticed an uptick in incidents or encounters with criminal types since the border has been wide open?
That's 6 shout outs to Ryan...😂 1 more, "shout out to Ryan"
Yaaaaaaa, at the 3rd one I was like wow I think he loves ryan, 4th one I'm like he shouts out to ryan one more time........5th shout out, ok im.outta here
As someone who has had a concussion from falling, you're not always working in the best mindset. I called for help long before I realised no one would hear me and when I eventually crawled out, I knew I wasn't in good shape but the idea of medics breaking down my door and finding me naked stopped me from calling an ambulance. I instead managed to call my best friend. The confusion is immense, you might continually lose consciousness and not to mention the significant pain to your whole body.
1q
It's what I thought, probably bandaged himself up , told himself he was fine and started hiking back. The concussion drowsiness probably started to set in and thought he would just sit to rest his eyes for a second and never woke up.
Absolutely I agree as a previously concussed individual. I did not even go to the ER, but when both my eyes blacked and I had a 2 inch knot on my head. ( a hematoma) I called my Dr. Who promptly yelled at me for not going to ER and she x rayed my head. She told me I would be okay eventually, and I was.
You believe you are thinking rationally at the time, clearly I was not!
@@eller3452 I am so thankful you are okay, how frightening
@@primesspct2hematoma is just the medical term for a bruise.
It is "time", to never let even rangers "be alone", in the wild!!! Always 2 individuals working together! No excuses 😢😮❤
👍 2 is one 1 is none 👍
Yes, I've been wondering about this. They are employees and their safety should be paramount.
Exactly
Na I like my$ no more tax money, if they don’t like it get a new job
I am pretty sure that this is a rule here in the UK, had this conversation recently where at one of our vet branches a member of staff was working on her own and I commented that this shouldn't really happen because if she took ill and collapsed there would be nobody to get help. Not even a dangerous job like a ranger so you would think it would especially apply in this case.
You know.. I'm starting to get the feeling that, in fact, Kyle does not hate hiking.
Lol
All these videos about hiking, you may be on to something.
I believe he might like Ryan too 🤔😁
Lol it's like, do you really, Kyle?
I’m beginning to wonder as well 🧐 but it’s merely a theory
I grew up with a love for the outdoors as a daughter of a park ranger in Connecticut. My father retired years ago, and his experiences & stories I never grow tired hearing about. Thank you for respectfully talking about the dangers many don't think about. I subscribed quite a while ago and figured it's time to throw you some extra love. You quickly became one of my favorite channels. Keep up the great content 😊
New theory: the gunshots heard was someone illegally hunting. The ranger saw them and chased after them. Fell, hit his head and the hunter realized he was hurt and bandaged him up. But didn't call for help bc they didn't want to get caught (or realized he was a goner and thought they could save themselves grief by not calling for help.)
Might also be why he went off the regular path, to try to find the hunters ✌🏻. Really good theory tho, makes absolute sense
Ghost of an extraterrestrial bigfoot
His hairy unshaven naked wife jumped out of the bushes, surprised him. The smell knocked him out. She took off with a logger with a big axe.
Very plausible theory.
That is very possible!
It's crazy that they work alone.
It's not just crazy, it's stupid. They should have a partner no matter what!! Especially for safety!
They don't have the resources to work in teams. There is simply not enough people, nor money, to pull that off. They don't always work alone but most often do. Btw I say this respectfully, not all park rangers are bush people. I have even questioned some park rangers competency from time to time. Just because they're wearing a uniform doesn't mean they're the outdoors type. People who grew up living in the bush (backcountry) this lifestyle comes naturally to them. These are the rangers who know what they're doing. So being on their own is no big deal for them. It's like saying, "I can't believe anyone raised in the city would walk the streets alone." Those kinds of rangers are rare to find. They're usually not working in national parks. So yes, you do make a great point. Once again, it all boils down to money and resources. At the end of the day, when it's a job, human life is not considered to be all that valuable. How many employers will pay for your casket when you die? Exactly! 😉
@sebastienbold. The US is the richest country globally. Do not ever believe there is not enough money, it’s politic speak only, lack of care, lack of will, for anyone seen as less than those in power imho!
Funding.😢
They should all have an emergency SOS GPS locator.
I had a friend who while driving home very late one night wrecked his car. Thinking he was fine started walking home. Unfortunately, he had a brain hemorrhage and only made it halfway home. Ranger Christianson's story sounds familiar to me.
Rip to your friend. I’m sorry for your loss.
That's horrible 😢.. Reminds me of my mom's bleed on the brain, the worst kind of stroke... She made it through the night, they said she would not but my mom was a fighter always, she lived 6 months. I think it was so we could accept what was going to happen. She remembered my son magically. She knew her grandson, said baby and held her arms out like give grandma a hug. Sorry I got lost in memories. I love and miss you deeply mom, my best friend. 😢❤
@@dinkvjr❤❤
@@dinkvjr The same thing happened to my mom too. It's been over a year, and she's still alive, but her brain damage was severe. She usually knows who people are, and can talk a bit when she's awake, but she's got no short term memory, and no real sense of time at all. She has hallucinations, too. She could be like this for years, and it's kind of agonising.
You've got all my love and empathy, and many digital hugs.
It's called the walking dead. The injury is to the meningeal artery from trauma to the temporal area, Same injury that killed Liam nesson's wife.
I was a park ranger for the City of San Diego for two decades. And yes, it was often dangerous as . . .
I think that's why I loved it.
So was my uncle! You guys may have crossed paths, he is quite the character. He worked at mission trails too. I always think of him and the crazy life he led when I hear these kinds of stories.
@@AlbinoAxolotl I remember the rangers who worked Mission Trails! Lots of stories!
0:21 No, not all park rangers are law enforcement officers. Some are, but there are other kinds of park rangers that aren't, most popularly interpretation rangers. These are the ones you'll be more likely to see in the visitor centers giving trail recommendations, teaching you about local wildlife, and leading historical tours. They do not have the same responsibilities and training as law enforcement rangers.
And don't carry firearms either!
Quite right. They are still federal employees, on federal property, so they have a bit more power than a normal citizen. However, like you say, you have volunteers, and people that are fire watch in some pretty remote places.
Benjamin Colton Barnes probably had untreated PTSD from Iraq. Look at his behavior. After his early Army discharge, he lost his last link with any treatment. It happens to many vets.
Not on the subject really, but a lot of Russian soldiers returning from the war in Ukraine go rampant. There are murders, rapes, violence reported almost every day in Russia. Besides many of the soldiers have been drafted prisoners with even brutal records.
Very sad
@@Soundbrigadewhere you got that fact? You pull it outta your a55? 😂😂
@@metokur85 No, but from Russian state TV channels.😉
RIP to these 3 heros. Thanking them for their lives of service. xx
It’s really cool that you give recognition to the rescuers. It’s wonderful that you promote donating to them as well.
The story of Ranger McClure brought back some very sad memories for me. I had a friend who was on a lake somewhere here in Wyoming, been many years so I can’t remember details, but he was(and for some reason Jenny Lake comes to mind) taking friends across the lake, I believe to hunt and after dropping them off and on his way back across the lake the winds picked up. It is believed that a strong gust of wind pushed the boat, knocking him down on the throttle knocking him out of the boat. It took many years before his body surfaced and his family and friends finally got some closure. Such a sad situation.
When I got a concussion it really messed me up mentally. I don't really remember a lot of it myself but apparently I was erratic, confused, and wasn't making sense. This is according to my parents and friends who took care of me. So from personal experience I can say the guy in the first story probably forgot he had the radio in the first place. He was most likely just running on autopilot.
I'm a SAR volunteer and also have a working K9. It's common to lose communications in the mountains.
If I was American and lived in the states I would love to be a Park Ranger esp. on the Civil war sites. As a retired police officer myself it just stands out as a fantastic job admittedly with issues but that’s law enforcement all over. Thanks for the video, love the channel.
Our Civil War sites are said to be very haunted.
Unfortunately they get paid very little.
I never saw a single Ranger at Gettysburg. Not one. I'm not sure that all civil war locations have "park Rangers" but likely are observed by local law enforcement and volunteers
@@RVRTYGRartsGettysburg has lots of Rangers.
Re Jeff Christensen on Rocky Mountain National Park. The lack of a radio call from him is probably not a mystery. Many handheld radios do not transmit far beyond the line of sight. His location may have prevented him from being heard. Also, someone would have had been listening if/when he tried to make a call. I don't know the situation here but was not surprised that nobody heard any radio transmissions from him.
Re. Ranger McClure on Yellowstone Lake. It is not uncommon for bodies to sink and never float back to the surface in cold lakes. The cold water can slow decomposition preventing gasses to form that would otherwise cause a body to float up to the surface. The soft tissue may eventually be consumed by aquatic organisms leaving only bones.
I wanted to be a park ranger when I was a kid. It was one of 2 or 3 career paths I considered when entering college. Then I found out you're pretty much just a cop and decided against it. Being out in nature all day, awesome! Sign me up! Having to arrest drunk campers and harass kids smoking the pots? Nevermind. I'm now a property caretaker in the mountains so I did actually end up having the being in nature all day part! Haven't had to chase anyone off the property yet so I'm pretty happy.
Only a very small number of rangers are cops! Law Enforcement, yes, they're police. But I work in interpretation, which is all about presenting educational programs (think evening campfire programs, popup tables around the park), making contact on hikes, working in the visitor center, etc. There's also resource management rangers who are mostly naturalists/biologists, and maintenance who maintain all the park facilities. Lots of diversity under the park ranger umbrella! That said I'm glad you found something that works for you! Maintaining a property in the mountains sounds like a great gig.
@@mokster5 Thank you for explaining this! I'm in interpretation as well and there's so many other jobs in the park service that people don't realize exist. We have everything, even IT and visual/socia media type jobs.
You made a great decision 👍
I think Kyle is trying to make a shout out to Ryan. But I don’t think he shouted him out enough. So he’s a shout out to Ryan from me. :)
Yeah, it was so subtle and ambiguous, but I think youre right - shout out to Ryan :)
I always look forward to your videos, you’ve become a good storyteller. And I appreciate that you cover lesser-known cases of mishaps in the woods and give nods to the rescuers.
True. It's easier for him to get away with plagarism this way.
Thank you for your service, Ranger Margaret and other brave rangers.
Rest In Peace Rangers. I live in the foothills of Rainier. Crazy hearing a story so close to home at a place I love to explore
For the third story, I’ve never seen that beautiful log gateway closed, and the checkpoint just beyond that is for paying for entry into the park, as far as I know.
Same. I’ve been by that entrance numerous times and never once saw it closed or manned by rangers. I always think of it more as a sign than a gate.
For the first story: head wounds are tricky man. If he hit his head hard enough to require bandages he could have been confused and out of it even if he was conscious. It may have never occurred to him in this state to radio for help.
Concussion is interesting. I've experienced it twice, both times, coincidentally, in NZ. First time was car wreck where I was driving solo, going downhill too fast, hit a shower of rain, lost it on a curve at the bottom and crawled out of a smashed inverted car. Walked around the wreck and tried to straighten by hand the twisted axles, panels etc so I could drive on and rendezvous with my girlfriend! A concerned kiwi motorist stopped, picked me up and drove me to the next town.
Second time was skiing Mt Ruapehu south side. Skiied of a bluff in a whiteout when the clouds started rolling in, flew through the air and woke up in the snow with fractured ribs, thumb and a rotator cuff tear. My buddies picked me up and put me on the lift, somehow got me down to the village after a few gluhweins in the bar on the mountain. Woke up the next day w/blinding headache and no recollection of where I'd parked my car the day before, or even what it looked like.
I was a fairly wild young man, have learned to slow down since.
As a man who has incurred multiple concussions, I can unequivocally say that head injuries can change your personality, Cause you to act irrational or weird and completely obscure ones thought process, memories, personality. It changes you. The brain is the center of EVERYTHING that we are. Scientifically speaking, it’s our “soul”. Damaging that can make you, seemingly, a different person, With thought processes and acts That you would normally not have.
I grew up in a village surrounded by forest from 3 sides. And thats why I never go hiking. I know how scary woods are.
Love your channel. We recently made the drive from Michigan to Texas. 18 hours plus stops. I started listening to your channel a while ago but played pretty much every video you've made on the trip. My 13 year old daughter started out annoyed. "What is that??🙄" Few hours in something else popped up and she was like "what happened to Kyle???!!" 😅❤
My condolences to the families of those fine rangers 💔
The worst part is most ranger jobs require a degree and are seasonal employment with no benefits or guarantee of being rehired
🎯
That depends on the state. In my state it’s year long employment with state benefits because they are state employees.
What’s wrong with requiring a degree?
The only worse part is require degree
It is strange that ranger McClure was never found. Being experienced at canoeing, he should’ve been wearing a life vest.🤷🏻♀️
I think he might of faked his death it makes more sense than him being experienced and falling in without a life jacket
Bigfoot
@@user-fw5zd9nd1rtoo early in the season
Knocked out lots of area to cover lot of river and lakes
No vest, probably fell out while standing up when urinating. It's a pretty common way people fall out of the boat and drown.
The 3rd story always gets to me. My family were the Longmire pioneers who founded Longmire. I love this area and the people who protect it.
The story regarding Mt. Rainier In the winter, I have never gone thru a manned gate. I made it up to paradise without seeing a single person or checkpoint.
Did ranger Kristianson actually have his radio on him? Maybe he dropped it when he fell and was looking for it when he passed out? It could even be quite close by and still hard to find. RIP to all these guys.
Those reported gun shots make wonder if that why he made the detour.
Or the head trauma made him irrational, forgetting the radio completely or not remembering how to use it. Or it was the dead battery. The drained battery is kinda high strangeness, how did it happen in such short time? Weird.
Who knows. Theirs so many different variables at play, maybe his batteries were dead, maybe it was broken, maybe he found it later into the event while he was already in distress, making him unable to use it to his advantage. Who knows, may he rest in peace.
@@janemiettinen5176 Given the gunshots reported, I wonder if that was what caused him to leave the trail he had planned.
Maybe his radip broke when he fel
I grew up in Bozeman, MT, just a bit north of Yellowstone. The book Death in Yellowstone talks about all the different ways people have died in the park. The biggest killer (surprisingly) is drowning; if he was over by West Thumb, there are hot springs under water. Gases can capsize boats, and high elevation mixed with cold water and ever changing weather could have sunk him to the depths of the crazy lake. This has happened to visitors as well, you don’t want to underestimate the power of Yellowstone Lake. 14:41
Thank you to all the rangers for their sacrifice. RIP
Park Ranger here. We end up going off our normal route due to a number of reasons. Sometimes we see or hear someone or something in distress, see an animal we love, sometimes to stop and listen to our surroundings, and shortcuts are common. I think it’s very possible that Christian’s radio may have been damaged in the fall.
Story #3: I know you can’t judge a person by their appearance, but he doesn’t seem like a planner.
I climbed Mt Rainier in the winter of 2008. It was March 2nd I believe, and I drove straight throw the gate. No gate or toll.
#2 Wouldn’t Ranger McClure be wearing a life vest?
excellent narrator
I agree.. Kyle has a wonderful narration voice. I think he'd narrate great campfire stories ☺️.
Have a wonderful blessed day 🎉💕🤗
That last story... Just such a shame, what a POS... My deepest condolences to everyone involved, RIP
He probably had untreated PTSD. it could even have been the original cause of the DUI and other issues that got him discharged from the army.
@@amyfu2047agreed, so many combat veterans suffer and need help.
Kyle you really are a great story teller. I have never hiked and have no interest in hiking but I love your channel. Always watch your videos as soon as they drop. Keep up the good work!
Just go in the early spring or deep fall when there are hardly any bugs. My kids haaaaate hiking (as I'm aware because I don't know crap apparently), but tolerate it well enough during these periods. 😁
i dont know about winter or not, but if you ever try and drive into a national park at something like 11pm on a weeknight youll find the gate up and no one in the booth.
I'm a former park ranger. My agency and many others were understaffed, underfunded, poorly trained and suffered from incompetence throughout the chain of command. These factors aggravated an already dangerous job. I don't think anything has improved
Thank you for serving as a park ranger! Working for the government has it's challenges. But the public appreciates the work you folks do!
McClure story is very suspicious. A skilled canoe operator. Body never floated to the surface? This one is most bizarre.
Yellowstone Lake is huge and cold. Motor boats are allowed on it. A wake can easily capsize a canoe. A person will quickly succumb to hypothermia. When the body sinks, it doesn’t come back up in the cold water. There are a lot of unrecovered bodies out here in the mountain west, especially if the water gets you.
I'm not American, so my guess was a bear.
I SWEAR I have seen that man, older, greyer and heavier, but with the same lazy eye and all!!
Bigfoot
There are basically infinite possibilities. It could be as simple as he had a cardiac incident and the canoe flipped when he slumped over.
awesome that you are bringing light to the lives of Park Rangers
Story #1: I worked on a hotshot fire crew at Rocky Mt NP and we participated in the search. After this fatality the park changed a lot of its protocols for “flight following” rangers in the field and for rangers themselves checking in with dispatch when they are crossing areas of danger or may be entering areas where there is limited radio coverage. Despite a pretty good radio system complete with repeater towers there are areas that have no coverage because of deep canyons and tall mountains. The park also instituted the use of the SOS devices (prior to garmin in reach being around). I don’t know if kyle said this but at the time I thought that they thought he had been separated from his radio. But even if he wasn’t he might have been in an area where the repeater could not penetrate into.
New favorite channel.
Thank you so much man!
Same thing happened to Liam Neeson's wife. She hit her head during a skiing accident, went to sleep and never woke up
I still tear up over that loss. RIP to Natasha Richardson.
This happened to me during a skiing accident. The ER instructed me to set an alarm to wake up and check my pupils. Not everyone wakes up after a head injury.
Was the guy's name Ryan who helped him with his workout routine? Not sure if everyone heard it was Ryan who helped him😂
Sorry I had to
I always come back to this channel when I need a reminder that going outside is a bad idea.
Thank you for your donation to our Rocky Mountain Rescue!
This is a note for Kyle. If you did a show about that guy who died in Greece, he was with the BBC. A lot of people are looking for that information right now you could draw in some new people to increase your subscription count. But you have to do it fast because in about a week people will have stopped looking for it.
I had wanted to be a park ranger when I was younger.
Same! Still do. I love the backcountry.
Me too. Until I realized they’re basically cops of the forest. And I don’t want that responsibility. So I’m studying to be a Conservationist instead.
@@Steph_is_backthis is a good plan! you could also look into interpretive ranger roles (which are just educational/conservation not enforcement). that’s what I’m doing and it’s a sweet gig
Me too.
You can still be one and try the position out as a seasonal park ranger. I work at a state park and the rangers there suggested that I apply to be one. I'm 50. I saw a news story recently where a guy was working as one as a 2nd career after retiring from being a nurse (hit his head during an event and died in his 70's, unfortunately). So it's never too late. They do run into wild scenarios and people, which can be super funny/interesting/sad. I was told you can do 'ride alongs' like with regular cops to get a preliminary feel for the job.
For those who are interested, especially young people in college & retired individuals, look up summer seasonal jobs in your local state park to get your feet wet. You can do positions such as grass cutting, general maintenance (what I do which is a little bit of everything outdoors and within structures...I work alongside a lot of college students & retirees in this position), or you can commandeer the entry booths. Some positions are hybrid/floats where you can do maintenance and booth. I know some other parks also have interpreters that do activities with campers.
I work in Michigan where they allow seasonal workers to opt in to the state retirement plan. I had a 10+% return last season. If you get invited back with each successive year you get a bump in pay and there is a shift differential if a bulk of your hours land after 12PM or something like that. Crappy part is you get paid every 2 weeks and it can be up to a month to cycle through to your 1st paycheck.
Hope that helps anyone who's interested.
I took a shot everytime he said shout out ryan. I'm dead. 😂
I live near Rainer and the gates to enter are not enforced in off seasons. Thanks for sharing. I always look forward to your new posts..
That guy that shot the ranger probably wanted to die. Like suicide by cop but ran instead. Never know but a terrible thing about the ranger
Every time Kyle says "Shout out to Ryan" take a drink of your LMNT drink!.. lol🍹🍹
Thank you for informing about how hard and dangerous being a park ranger actually is. Weather.people.animals.
Excellent storyteller!
Dwayne probably suffered a heart attack, fell in, and the canoe swamped.
Another shortcut gone very wrong. I have had some close calls taking "short cuts" in the backcountry myself. They are always a risk. terrain can change dramatically. What you think is a short cut ends up taking far longer and is often more dangerous. Sometimes much more so. Take detours with great cation, and take no risks when you come to them.
short cuts are bad. thousands of people have been hiking to the point that there is a trail, and trails are usually the path of least resistance. if the shortcut was good, it would be the trail.
There's usually a quite an excellent reason why a trail follows the route it does. Leaving a known trail often leads to t he person doing so getting into a very perilous predicament.
R.I.P. to all who lost their lives.
In the early 90s in Oregon I remember a woman park ranger being incredibly relieved to meet my dad and I (I was a little girl then). There had been creepy men around, and she let my dad know in a way that indicated she was at least a little bit in fear for her life.
All stories were traumatic and sad. I do believe park rangers are heroes less talked about. Way to honor them. Good presentation!
Take a drink every time Kyle says shout out Ryan...😂
Burp!
Please can you do a video about the 19 year old female hiker who was swept over a waterfall and met her untimely demise. Apparently she had her mobile with her and filmed herself being taken by the current in a river in Utah. Enjoying the content.....😊
Didn’t Outdoor Disaster cover that story?
Thanks! I love your videos, Kyle.
Story #2 sometimes when bodies sink in water they never float to the surface, due to the cold temperatures
DUDE: Kayaks in wilderness, drowns, disappears.
KYLE: Major mystery, what COULD have HAPPENED!!!?!!!
You really do a good job relaying the cases you cover.
I don't find it difficult to postulate why Benjamin Colton Barnes fled from Seattle to Mount Rainier when considering Kyle's comment that he was known to have visited there several times previously. Add to that the downward spiral his life was already on with combat-related PTSD, discharge from the service, a no-contact order that would prevent his unsupervised visits to his daughter, and culminating with the shooting of four people at the Skyway house party mere hours before he tragically encountered Ranger Anderson. My guess is that Barnes did not plan to survive in Rainier's Winter wilderness--it was where he wanted to end.
**eyes scan marketing script** "oh and it also helps me prevent injuries too"
.... Such honesty and sincerity 😂😂
I am kinda surprized that they haven't made it a mandatory rule to carry a functioning GPS beacon when hiking through the national parks. I would think if they did that, it would eliminate half of missing person cases and probably with better outcomes when they are found. If they are found with no joy, their families won't have to wait decades to finally get answers. That is, if they are lucky enough to get answers about their missing loved one(s).
For the first case, he should have let a coworker know that he was going to deviate from his normal route. Just like what is suggested for any hiker from novice to park ranger.
The second case. Seems to me that he was either reaching for something or he stood up to relieve himself. He must have over reached or lost balance which caused the canoe to flip over. Let this be a cautionary tale to always wear your life preserver even if you are a good swimmer.
Why was his body never found? Depending on the kind of clothing he was wearing could act like a sponge and soak up a bunch of water greatly increasing his over all weight that took him to the bottom before he could remove his clothing in the water. He probably panic and that is how he drown.
Another way he could have met his demise in the water, depending on how cold the water is and how quickly he was thrown in could cause him to involuntary inhale a bunch of water into his lungs drowning him instantly. Sometimes sudden exposure to cold water can cause sudden cardiac arrest. Prolong exposure to cold water can cause you to lose coordination with your limbs to the point that they become nonfunctional.
Any of these scenarios wouldn't take long to cause loss of life. Since he was by himself, there was no one there to pull him to safety. He simply couldn't swim the distance to the shore to save himself.
His remains is most likely scattered through out the lake by scavengers. Did they ever send a dive team to search the bottom of the lake back when he disappeared? Now I would imagine his remains would be hard to find since it will be underneath the accumulated silt build up over the years. Maybe someday a fisherman accidently bring up an article of clothing that he wore on the day he disappeared.
Case 3. The park probadly had some significant meaning to him. And I am sure he thought he could hide out in one of the cabins that stay empty for most of the year.
It's really strange, I was looking at street view pictures for West Thumb where Duane McClure went missing, and every picture of the lake from every person that uploaded them, is all skewed and choppy. It gave me the creeps ☹☹
Cryptids manipulate cameras
My nephew is the only park ranger who lives in his state park. In a huge house left to the state. Up a two mile dirt road. He is a brave young man keeping visitors safe. ❤
I'm a diver...it's drilled into your head that you NEVER go out alone...your life could depend upon it. This should apply to all adventures/outdoor travel/work....NEVER go alone. These National parks should make this a RULE...!
Thanks Kyle, you do it so well. Just love listening to your stories. Bev from Australia
Man, I continue to love the companies you work with for your sponsorships.
Story 2 - maybe he was abducted by aliens or eaten by a lake monster.
Love your videos! Thank you for getting these stories out!! Yay, Vermont! Where I was born, and live atm! Keep up the awesome work you're doing!! ❤
Shoutout Ryan
You definitely should visit Yellowstone. It is beautiful and seeing the animals is pretty spectacular. I think you would also enjoy Glacier. It is more hiking oriented than Yellowstone, and I actually preferred the scenery there.
I so agree with you there. Glacier has some majestic scenery. I'm sure it's changed some.... I last saw the area in the 90's!! Lol hahaha 🤣🤣.
Have a Blessed day 💕🤗
Story #3
I used to live at the base of Mount Rainier by the Nisqually entrance. It is open year round but only staffed during peak season and only during daylight hours. So this would make sense about why he was able to just drive straight in. All of the other park entrances have seasonal closures.
Good on you, mate! Love your stories and your considerate approach and advice. Please stay safe and keep up the great work!
This "Shout Out Ryan" sounds like an interesting guy
Feedback, less of your face, get a green screen and more focus on the visuals
I'm going to give you a tip here Kyle. Don't take selfies with the bison in Yellowstone. Tourist punting season is a real phenomenon. I doubt you would be that dimwitted it still needs to be said more because people just don't listen to us idahoans when we say that is a wild animal sir.
The recent incident in Yellowstone where the two drunk guys kicked a buffalo really surprised me, because those guys were from Idaho Falls! They certainly should have known better.
Thank you for sharing ❤.
I worked for the Forest Service...most of our work area could not maintain radio communication...believe me if his radio was working he would have used it.