kayakbear









Joined: 03 Feb 2005

Posts: | TRs

Location: Seattle

MemberJoined: 03 Feb 2005Posts: 472 Location: Seattle

kayakbear Top

Member Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:21 pm



Firstly, a truly tragic event for all involved. My heart goes out to all the families.



From our perspective.

Had an uneventful hike in Sat to set up camp for our long weekend. Set up a nice pit kitchen with a full tarp to shed the snow that fell all night later. Actually made it to midnight with the help of some rum and cranberry juice.



Sunday we had a super lazy start to the day, day hiked to Lake Louise and then hiked back to camp around 2pm to settle in for the night. In the afternoon, we start seeing planes circling the mountain and figure they are either joy riding on a beautiful New Years day or someone is missing. We start seeing more planes and then the choppers show up, 3 actually. We see one of the choppers swoop down into the corners of the lake, checking out the nooks and crannies. It hovers over our tarp and gets SUPER SUPER low, so we get out to see whats going on, once they saw us they took off again. We had no idea what was going on. They kept swooping until the light was out, and planes stayed out. We still have no idea whats going on so we continue drinking our champagne and enjoying a beautiful night out. We were the last party at the lake at that point. We figured someone was lost.



This morning, we are all still in bed around 8:30am when the chopper comes back and hovers for a good long while until we get out of the tents. They call out on their speaker "ranger shot and killed. Shooter at large." Well crap. That explains the swarms.



So we decide to start packing up and just get out, but it takes time since we were pretty well entrenched. There are 3 choppers at this point flying all over the lake and mazama ridge. The chopper swoops back over us, and drops a coffee cup that reads: "A ranger has been shot shooter at large. Call on cell if able to Pierce Co sheriff" so we hurry even more to get out. An hour later cup #2 comes: "Take road to falls and sheriff deputies. We will keep an eye on you. Do not drive from paradise w/o armed escort."



After we are all packed, the chopper comes back over us, gives us a signal to go ahead, and we start up the road. The chopper alternates between flying around the area and staying just ahead of us on the road. I've never had a helicopter escort before! At this point, we are all pretty worried, since we have nothing but snow shovels and we are having paranoid visions of a sniper bearing down on us. As we just turn the bend in the road, we run into the US Forest Tactical team sent out to get us. They are all armed with assault rifles, camo and enough gear to keep them out for a few long days. As we meet them they get a radio call that the shooter has been found, facedown in a stream dead. They escort us back to the end of the road just above narada falls where the ranger's truck is. Bullet holes and everything.



Apparently he took off and headed to the woods after a 90min fire fight. The rangers were concerned that he would shoot and kill anyone he came across for their clothing and gear. When I spoke with the chopper pilot who was signaling us, he said he was worried when we didn't immediately come out of the tents this morning since they thought he might have gotten up the trail far enough to find our camp, kill us and take our gear.



It was memorable to say the least. RIP to all those involved, we are still processing it. Truly tragic.



We just got back from spending 3 days out at Reflections Lakes and were escorted out by the US Forest Service Tactical team this morning.Firstly, a truly tragic event for all involved. My heart goes out to all the families.From our perspective.Had an uneventful hike in Sat to set up camp for our long weekend. Set up a nice pit kitchen with a full tarp to shed the snow that fell all night later. Actually made it to midnight with the help of some rum and cranberry juice.Sunday we had a super lazy start to the day, day hiked to Lake Louise and then hiked back to camp around 2pm to settle in for the night. In the afternoon, we start seeing planes circling the mountain and figure they are either joy riding on a beautiful New Years day or someone is missing. We start seeing more planes and then the choppers show up, 3 actually. We see one of the choppers swoop down into the corners of the lake, checking out the nooks and crannies. It hovers over our tarp and gets SUPER SUPER low, so we get out to see whats going on, once they saw us they took off again. We had no idea what was going on. They kept swooping until the light was out, and planes stayed out. We still have no idea whats going on so we continue drinking our champagne and enjoying a beautiful night out. We were the last party at the lake at that point. We figured someone was lost.This morning, we are all still in bed around 8:30am when the chopper comes back and hovers for a good long while until we get out of the tents. They call out on their speaker "ranger shot and killed. Shooter at large." Well crap. That explains the swarms.So we decide to start packing up and just get out, but it takes time since we were pretty well entrenched. There are 3 choppers at this point flying all over the lake and mazama ridge. The chopper swoops back over us, and drops a coffee cup that reads: "A ranger has been shot shooter at large. Call on cell if able to Pierce Co sheriff" so we hurry even more to get out. An hour later cup #2 comes: "Take road to falls and sheriff deputies. We will keep an eye on you. Do not drive from paradise w/o armed escort."After we are all packed, the chopper comes back over us, gives us a signal to go ahead, and we start up the road. The chopper alternates between flying around the area and staying just ahead of us on the road. I've never had a helicopter escort before! At this point, we are all pretty worried, since we have nothing but snow shovels and we are having paranoid visions of a sniper bearing down on us. As we just turn the bend in the road, we run into the US Forest Tactical team sent out to get us. They are all armed with assault rifles, camo and enough gear to keep them out for a few long days. As we meet them they get a radio call that the shooter has been found, facedown in a stream dead. They escort us back to the end of the road just above narada falls where the ranger's truck is. Bullet holes and everything.Apparently he took off and headed to the woods after a 90min fire fight. The rangers were concerned that he would shoot and kill anyone he came across for their clothing and gear. When I spoke with the chopper pilot who was signaling us, he said he was worried when we didn't immediately come out of the tents this morning since they thought he might have gotten up the trail far enough to find our camp, kill us and take our gear.It was memorable to say the least. RIP to all those involved, we are still processing it. Truly tragic.