Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-07-29
Mountain Death Of IS

Prayer Glacier National Park is for the Lord to
help keep venturesome 20 year-olds alive and well.
We know Of no better place in the world for 20
year-old to spend a summer. When we meet these
youngsters the trails bronzed and quick of STEP
can't help but think there is improvement in the hui
man race.
Then every summer, almost without exception, one
of grim jobs is to telephone wire services and daily
newspapers telling them of death serious injury to
one of these young people, usually summer employees
They went off trails and ventured dangerous slopes.
At Many Glacier hotel, thought is to have a black
bordered plaque with names and dates of serious
mountain climbing accidents. 1t is morbid, but this
constant reminder may lives In Glacier the cru
SADIE is not SO much deaths from infrequent automo
bile accidents but instead fatalities from mountain
climbing by youth and drownings.
There is also the thought that summer employees
caught off trails dangerous slopes be reported and
'fired' This drastic action may be unavoidable
We saw the name of June Johnson the Granite
Park Chalet register for July IT, She had hiked on
trails with two other girls from Many Glacier hotel
and then down to Sun highway There are not accident
stories when people hike trails
Five days later Miss Johnson was dead. She was
off trail
With Dell Beauchine of Red Lake Falls. MINI. and
Mary Jensen Mortified, MINI. the girls were hiking
up the back side of 1900 foot high Allyn, just another
mountain They followed the trail past Appekunny
falls into Appekunny basin and then after the trail end
ed pushed past small Natakhi lake apparently with
the OF crossing the OlVlOo anu returning ndIy
Glacier hotel about four miles away by new route.
They didn't choose an easier crossing, and for that
matter may not have realized that they chose diff
ficult way.
It was about $50 p m. Thursday with the girls
picking their way on nearly vertical "Scree slope
about 800 feet from the top Miss Johnson was third
The other two girls heard scream. They looked
around to see their companion falling, hit about 20
feet down, and plunge out of sight.
The girls returned to Many Glacier hotel, and
sv~ ctnkn If chfNok
About $50 p. m. they reported the accident to
LLOYD Seilset Many Glacier hotel manager, who i'm
mediately contacted Ranger John Higgins. Don Rob-
inson park naturalist also trained in mountain rescue
operation, happened to be at the hotel.
The two park men questioned the girls as to scene
Of the accident, and then with Bob Megard. Ronald
Conner and Rangvold Kvelstad set out about $50 p
m. in the hope Of hearing moan and finding girl
and not q body
The night search brought no results and even with
high powered flashlights landmarks couldn't be picked
out. Searching stopped about a. m.
At 4 q. m. with the first light Of day landmarks
were picked out and radio report sent to Many
Glacier that the girl found Her completely batter
ed body had plunged at least 1000 feet.
Another search party with mountain rescue equip
ment had left Many Glacier hotel at $3.50 a. M and
met the night search party In THIS group were Seas
Clyde Lockwood and Mel Dyer. radio call went out
for 10 man stretcher bearer party.
Funeral procession for the golden red headed st.
Olaf college student who worked in the laundry at the
hotel were those groups of ten fellow employees who
came to help carry the sretcher Tens after tens of
visibly affected fellow employees came out
Supt. ]. w. Emmert of Glacier had the sad res
possibility of elephoning Mr. and Mrs Clarence john
son Of 1904 Green Road South Euclid, Ohio that their
daughter had been in climbing accident In the
ming there the tragic second call: 'she is
dead
Beck Mortuary of Browning sent the body to the
Larson Funeral Home, Story City, Iowa.
We have had mountain climbing tragedy of
1855. Last year young Many Glacier girl escaped
death but seriously injured Then there Peter
Kassen, Is: Robert Dion, II, and Robert Stark, 49,
They all died in recent and their stories diff
fer from that of Miss Johnsons only in details.
Glacier has 1000 miles of trails and is considered
the best trail park in the National Park system The
comparatively soft sedimentary rock, however, is not
suited for mountain climbing and each season there
is cautonng to stay on trails.
The lesson is learned 1t takes death, and why
should it? MR