Badlands: Time at Mount Rushmore

     

      Although this summer I have been stationed at Badlands National Park, I have had the great opportunity to transfer to Mount Rushmore for three days of training with the Rangers there. Mount Rushmore is a National Monument, and has its own unique setting with the dense traffic of an urban park set in the great outdoors of the Black Hills. This creates a dynamic situation especially in the summer months when thousands of visitors flock daily to see this iconic symbol of our nation.

      The first day I got the introductory tour of the park and its facilities and got to see for the first time up close, Mount Rushmore. After the tour we got right to work assisting on two traffic stops that included drug searches and an open container citation. Both searches did not find anything, but one car did have empty marijuana dispensary bags and a cleaned out pipe, however there was nothing illegal found in that vehicle.

     

      Continuing into the second day I woke up after the night shift to get my first taste of CrossFit. A different style of working out than I am used to it definitely gave me a great workout and left me sore the next day. After coming on shift for the day we dropped off bones that I had delivered from Badlands and continued on to check on the most elusive trespasser at Mount Rushmore, a small Chihuahua that was loose in the park for the last week. Unable to trap the dog we have been improvising new tactics on the traps in hopes to safely catch the dog, however as of writing this post the dog remains at large in the park. If any has any information concerning this dog or its whereabouts be sure to relay it to a park ranger at Mount Rushmore.

      Moving on from the dog we got a medical call from a visitor that had reportedly scraped their elbow and bruised their head in a fall, after applying bandages and an ice pack the visitor denied ambulance services and left the park. We returned to the administration building and went over a multitude of topics for my training including use of force, superintendent's compendium. and the seasonal academy I have coming up in the Fall.

      As darkness enveloped the park, the amphitheater became crowded with people as the time for the night talk, movie, and lights were getting ready to start. On foot patrol we made sure visitors were being safe and maintained a strong presence in the highly trafficked areas. We maintained this presence through the talks and lighting of the heads as over a thousand people stood in awe of the spectacle before them. After the conclusion of these events people began to disperse in large numbers and we kept our presence around the congested areas until we headed back to close out our shift in administration.

Wildlife in front of employee housing

The trees smell like butterscotch I swear

Farewell to Mount Rushmore National Memorial

My final week at Mount Rushmore National Memorial certainly did not disappoint.  The fire danger within the area was still at an extreme high.  About every two hours or so rangers would drive to the high lookout points to check for any smoke around the park.  We made it through most of the day without sighting anything.  However, at about 5 in the afternoon a large smoke funnel was spotted a few miles outside of the park boundary.  The local Forest Service Dispatch was contacted and they notified us that six fire engines were already en route along with a few helicopters responding as well.  In the meantime the decision was made to close the Presidential Trail in case the fire spread in the park’s direction.  Once everyone was escorted off the trail we closed and locked the gates so visitors could not gain access.  Luckily the fire was under control and put out by the next morning without getting much larger.

All Summer I had been working on the proper techniques for holding, handling, and holstering handguns and the day had come to put all those skills together.  Ranger and Firearms Instructor Darin Oestmann took me down to the park’s firing range to work with the handguns.  I first shot from the five yard line to get a feel for the weapon.  Ranger Oestmann also gave me tips for switching out the magazines and making sure to always practice proper techniques to build good habits and muscle memory.  He also told me the importance of being able to shoot one handed in both dominant and non-dominant hand in case one gets injured during a fire fight.  I feel much more confident when working with firearms and now have a better understanding of how they work and should be handled.

Shooting left handed.

Shooting with right hand only.

My last day at the park ended my summer just as it had started: on the mountain.  I worked the early shift with Ranger Oestmann and first thing we hiked up to the faces, the chins to be exact.  All the rangers had been telling me all summer of certain sites that were a must-see and being at the base of the faces at sunrise was definitely on the list.  It is absolutely breathtaking to be standing next to a sixty-foot carving of one of our Country’s leaders and feeling so small.  The view alone was worth the climb and will be an experience I will never forget.  

My summer went entirely too quickly and the experiences I had would not be traded for anything.  I learned so much from every single ranger I worked with and had opportunities that I never thought I would have been presented with.  It is unfortunately an end to another chapter in my life but I can only imagine what has yet to come.  See you all at Leadership Camp!!

ProRanger Erin Langeheine      

Week 10 at Mount Rushmore

View of Green Valley
behind the Memorial. 

This past week at Mount Rushmore has been all about fire and taking fire precautions.  There is still a smoking ban within the park and has been taken very seriously.  Earlier in the week I did a solo up and over patrol and while on top of the heads I looked for any visible smoke columns.  Quite often the local 1880 Train will be the culprit for many false reports of fires because it shoots out thick black smoke from its engine and every report has to be checked.

The next day Ranger Kimball and I did a back country patrol along the Southeast boundary of the park.  Due to the lightning storm the night before the Forest Service notified us of two confirmed lightning strikes along the boundary of the park and asked if we could check to make sure no fires had started.  Kimball and I were given a map of the Forest Service’s plotted strikes but we did not have exact coordinates.  We were also unsure if the lightning had hit the ground directly or something else such as a tree.  We used the GPS to follow the boundary line until we were in the general area of where the map said the strike should be.  After walking a bit further, we found a recently fallen tree with fresh splintering at the base where it had fallen.  We felt it safe to say that this was our lightning strike and luckily no fire or smoldering had been started.



Tree struck by lightning.



                                                                      The rest of the week I helped with various tasks that needed to be completed at the LE building including picking up the new patrol Tahoe as well as getting tires replaced on the older one.  I also did some more K9 training sessions with Ranger Grego and attended an EEO meeting reviewing the reporting procedures for an Equal Employment Opportunity issue. 

Area burned by Myrtle Fire.

Meanwhile, the Myrtle Fire had started in Pringle, South Dakota and was only a few miles from Wind Cave National Park(Wind Cave is about 40 miles from Mount Rushmore).  The Myrtle Fire has currently burned about 10,000 acres.  They had to evacuate the area including the park and will be closed until further notice.  Because the park has been evacuated, they began doing 24 hour patrols to make sure no one would be coming into the park that shouldn’t be there.  As a way of helping out, they asked if we could assist with these patrols by sending one or two rangers to cover their day shift.  Myself, Rangers Dave Woodcock, and Joe Turgyan patrolled on Sunday for a twelve hour shift.  We were briefed in the morning on our duties and to inform us that they would be starting a back burn just outside the West boundary of the park.  This back burn would help prevent the fire from moving into Wind Cave but would also make the fire look even bigger. 



Myrtle Fire back burn.

 

Bison skull



We spent most of the day driving around the park, informing visitors that the park was closed, and giving directions around the road closers.  Wind Cave is also known for the various kinds of wildlife living in the park; we were able to see large Bison heards, Elk, Prairie Dogs, Mule Deer, Coyote, and Pronghorn Antelope.  They also have a spot in the park where the place the carcasses of animals that die in the park, most commonly Bison.  It is pretty awesome to see the bones and skeletons of such huge creatures.  Rangers Woodcock and Turgyan also did an impromptu traffic stop training with me to give me a feel for the types of things we’ll be learning at the Academy.  I have a lot to work on but it was nice to get a little bit of a head start and understanding the key aspects of traffic stops.         

  

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Coyote

Bison



Pronghorn Antelope



 

Prairie Dog

 ProRanger Erin Langeheine

Mount Rushmore- Weeks 8 & 9

I apologize for the delay in my weekly postings; I was put on an eight day (July 3 to July 9) fire detail as a driver which restricted my internet access!  My week started out by hanging smoking ban signs throughout the park to notify visitors of the park’s fire and smoking ban due to the extremely dry conditions.  I posted the signs at the entrances to the bathrooms, the Presidential Trail, the Information and Visitor Center, as well as the gift shop and park restaurant.  This smoking ban is still in effect. 





View of White Draw from the road.

By the end of the day I was informed that the local Northern Great Plains Dispatch needed additional drivers to help with the local fires in the area.  My Supervisor and Chief came to me to see if I’d be interested and I jumped at the opportunity.  When I reported to the expanded dispatch they updated me on the tasks that would need to be completed and what fire we’d be working with.  My eight-twelve plus hour days consisted of picking up fire crew at the Rapid City Airport and delivering them to the ICP in Edgemont, SD so they could begin their work on the White Draw fire.  We also were tasked with delivering various items that were needed at ICP.  For those of you who have been tuned into the fire updates, White Draw is the same fire at which the C-130 plane unfortunately crashed.  There was not much information given about the crash or how it occurred but it is an extremely unfortunate event that affects everyone.  By July 7^th the fire was mainly under control and we began picking people and rental cars up to take back to the airport.  It was a great opportunity and my first exposure to working with a wildland fire dispatch crew.  This experience showed me how important every single person’s job is when being involved with a wildland fire even if you are not on the fireline physically fighting the fire.

Once I was back on a regular shift at the park I spent my day doing a well needed ride along!  I rode with Ranger Kimball making our rounds through the park.  We came along an “abandoned” 18 wheeler trailer in one of the turnoffs in the park.  Commercial vehicle travel is prohibited through the park and can result in a $250 fine.  Kimball said that the driver most likely saw the signs for no commercial vehicles and decided to drop off the trailer while he drove the tractor up to the park.  We drove back up to the park entrance and saw the driver heading back down the hill.  We followed him back down to his trailer and then gave him a verbal warning informing him that he was still in the park and cannot drive the trailer on National Park Service land.  This stop prompted a conversation about Fourth Amendment rights regarding search and seizure.  Kimball gave me several scenarios about when a LE officer can or cannot search a car and/or driver while on a traffic stop.  She told me that this is one of the most important amendments to know as a law enforcement officer that will be used very often.

Ranger Joe Turgyan and I did a Chain Saws field day reviewing how to limb, buck, and fall trees.  It was both fun and a little nerve wrecking to finally be working with a chain saw.  If I were to be certified, I would be able to be a wildland fire sawyer for trees that are eight DVH.



Beginning the face cut.

Starting the back cut.

Hammering in the wedges.

Successful fall.

I also participated in visitor crowd control when there was the discovery of an unknown substance within park storage.  We had to clear the Presidential Trail until the substance could be identified.  It is very important to only reveal certain information when regarding events that could cause panic.  We could only tell visitors that there was maintenance on the trail so they would not panic and possibly turn a controlled event into a chaotic one.  Everything turned out fine and the substance ended up being Tellurium which is used in metallurgy and can be used as pigment in paint.        

The week ended with some unfortunate excitement.  We received a call of a one-person injury car accident with a possible heart attack.  However, the location of this accident was not very clear and it was several minutes before any rangers could respond.  Ranger Grego was the first on scene (in the park parking garage) and was informed that a man had had a heart attack while at the wheel of his car.  Grego got the man out of the car and immediately began CPR.  Ranger Kinkade and myself began directing traffic around the accident and also made room for the ambulance to arrive.  The visitor was given five rounds of the AED machine before the ambulance arrived and took the man away.  We were later informed that they called the man’s time of death en route to the hospital.  The rangers told me that there is usually a park fatality here once every other year or so and is usually related to some type of cardiac arrest or heart attack.  This was the first major medical that I have been to and it showed me the absolute importance of remaining calm and assertive while dealing with serious medicals. 

I cannot believe we only have two weeks left at our parks! I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Leadership Camp!

ProRanger Erin Langeheine  

Week 7 at Mount Rushmore

Taking a break on the LE
patrol motorcycle.

I cannot believe my time at Mount Rushmore has gone by so quickly!  This past week I was able to stand by for firearms qualifications of our Chief Ranger Don Hart and the newest permanent here, Megan Kinkade.  Megan Kinkade happens to be from the San Antonio ProRanger Program and it has been great to be able to share experiences with her!  As a bit of a refresher, Kinkade worked on some basics of drawing her weapon and marksmanship close range to get a feel for her handgun.  She and Chief Hart then went through the firearms qualification, shooting at the three, seven, fifteen, and twenty-five yard line.  In order to pass you must make at least 21 out of the 30 rounds within the scoring area; both passed with flying colors!  After qualifying on handguns I watched Chief Hart qualify on his shotgun and AR 15 rifle.  When qualifying with the rifle, you must shoot in a few different positions including prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing.  Qualifying with a handgun includes shooting with non-dominant hand, standing, and kneeling.  Being able to watch these qualifications allowed me to get some tips on hand grip as well as certain things to focus on while shooting such as keeping your wrist steady and sticking to the fundamentals.  

Kinkade shooting her handgun.



Kinkade shooting the shotgun.



Chief Hart shooting AR 15
rifle in the kneeling position.

Kinkade and myself also went through taser training and are both now certified.  We learned the ins and outs of taser usage and the proper way to carry and handle them and the cartridges.  When using a taser, you are to aim below the chest trying to split the hemisphere (one probe above and below the waistline) in order to achieve neuromuscular incapacitation.  After taking the written tests, we then practiced spark testing, drawing, and shooting blank cartridges.  Once we felt comfortable we then took turns shooting two sets of live cartridges; one set using the laser site and one set without.  It is great to have this certification prior to the academy because it gives me a little better sense of what to expect when it comes to taser training. 

Removing the probes being sure to
pull straight back and keeping part of
the line attached to the cartridge.

Another duty that needed completed this week was to re-flag the trail hiking up to Mount Baldy.  There had been a recent medical rescue in which the trail to the top had been difficult to follow which had proposed the idea of re-flagging the trail.  Ranger Oestmann, Kinkade, and I hiked from the East Boundary of the park, up to Baldy, and then down to the West Boundary flagging our path with yellow tape on trees.  Later in the week I did a solo back country patrol following our trail to make sure it was navigable.  I believe it is safe to say that Mount Baldy will be much easier to find for the casual hiker!  

While on foot patrol in the developed area with Ranger Dave Woodcock we received a report of a man walking around handing people rocks and making gorilla noises.  We copied the description of the man and along with Rangers Todd Van Alstyne and Kinkade were able to locate the man.  After Van Alstyne interviewed him, we learned that he was not a threat to himself or others and was just a bit eccentric.  He was informed that he could not collect rocks while in the park and that he should perhaps be more aware of his surroundings. 

It has been a very fun week and I cannot believe I only have four more left! I hope everyone is still having a great time and learning a lot!!

ProRanger Erin Langeheine       

Mount Rushmore Week 6

This past week I was working the evening shift doing several ride-alongs and foot patrols.  I rode with a few different rangers including Rangers Sarah Kimball, Duane Grego, and my supervisor Brad Eggers.  Every time I was in the car I learned very valuable tips for my career in law enforcement.  Rangers Kimball and Grego both explained to me certain ways of approaching a vehicle while on a traffic stop.  You should not slam or shut your car door loudly because it can give the driver a sense of how many officers are present as well as notify them that you are approaching.  It is also smart to approach the passenger side for several reasons: the driver is not expecting you to come to that side, it provides protection from oncoming traffic, and it allows for an escape route away from the road and vehicle if the situation would become dangerous.  Also, when approaching for the second time they suggested occasionally going to the opposite side that you did the first time to keep the driver on their toes and to make your actions less predictable.  Ranger Grego also used the term “car is your coffin”.  He explained to me that the longer you are stationary sitting in your vehicle, the bigger a target you can become.  If the driver you have stopped wants to hurt you, the first place they will aim for is the two front seats.  Grego is usually unbuckled by the time he stops the vehicle and immediately gets out of the car.  This makes him a moving target instead of a sitting duck and will allow him quicker access to his weapon if need be.



Unlucky mountain goat.



I again spent some time on the mountain.  I did a solo front country hike which consists of hiking up the front of the mountain into the Hall of Records canyon and on top of the heads.  Ranger Kimball and I also did an up-and-over climb which is exactly what it sounds like.  We climb up the front of the mountain, on top of the heads, and continue back down the back side of the mountain.  While on our hike we saw the remains of an unfortunate mountain goat that was most likely eaten by a mountain lion some time ago.    

Another duty of the evening shift is to attend the Evening Program held in the park amphitheater.  Here at Mount Rushmore, the park is open until 10pm. and provides an Evening Program each night consisting of a ten minute ranger talk, and twenty minute video, and the lighting of the Memorial.  They end the program by asking all past and present military to come up on stage and lower the flag for the evening.  It is always a very moving ceremony that many visitors come to see.  As LE rangers, we typically walk around observing the crowd before the program and then stand above the amphitheater during the duration of the program.  Having LE presence during the program is helpful for assisting visitors as well as helps deter any crime from occurring. 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial at night.



Ranger Grego and Aba at work.



Ranger Grego is also the park’s explosives detection K-9 ranger.  I was able to work with him and Aba, the awesome explosives detection K-9, by helping with their training.  As a K-9 ranger, they must conduct at least sixteen hours of training sessions a month and record the details of each one.  I helped out by putting out the explosives hides so that there would be no interference by Grego when he is leading Aba.  If Grego would put out his own hides, there could be a chance of him subconsciously changing his behavior which Aba would pick up on and ultimately affect her search.  When leading Aba, Grego is always keeping his feet moving because stopping could be some type of indication to Aba that she’s in the right spot.  Any connection that Aba makes with his actions can be detrimental to the validity of their search.  They train in both buildings and the open areas within the park to get a wide range of practice.  Aba is a play-trained K-9 and is rewarded with a tennis ball when she finds a hide.  They are a great pair to see in action and the visitors love to say hello!



Searching the parking garage.

Conducting a building search.

On Friday while on patrol with Ranger Kimball, we were able to get into a pretty interesting traffic stop.  We were stationary in a pull-out running radar, when we see an older truck speeding down the hill doing about ten over the speed limit.  We pulled the driver over and I called in the plate to dispatch.  After Kimball approached the car and received the driver’s identification, she observed two open containers in the cab of the vehicle.  After running the driver, we were informed that he was driving on a revoked license and was a registered sex offender.  The local Federal Judge states that stopping a revoked driver results in the appropriate tickets and a mandatory appearance.  However, unsure of what action to take, Kimball called the County Sheriff to see if they’d want to take over the case.  They agreed, which resulted in the Pennington County Deputy to come and arrest the individual for driving while on a revoked license.  This was a great learning experience for me about local and federal law as well as represented the great working relationship between the park and local law enforcement.

Mount Rushmore continues to present many great learning and training experiences that I will hold with me throughout my career!

ProRanger Erin Langeheine              

Week 5 at Mount Rushmore

There were a multitude of different tasks for me this past week at the park.  On Monday I assisted in a detail overseeing a Commercial Use Permit.  The permit was for the filming of Chris Matthew’s television show Hardball.  Ranger Darin Oestmann and I had to stand by while they were filming to make sure the filming crew was not going to do anything that could be damaging to the park.  We also had to make sure that no visitors would be heckling or interfering with the filming.  Commercial Use Permits require completed paperwork in advance along with specific details of what exactly the group will be doing and what type of equipment they will have.  Every park has certain guidelines that need to be followed in order for the permit to be authorized.  The primary guideline is that the permit cannot interfere with regular park visitation.  The filming was taking place out of the way of the main foot traffic and was not causing harm to any of the resource.  They were able to complete what they needed to with our supervision without causing any problems. 

Tuesday, Ranger Joe Turgyan and I did about a four mile back country patrol on the west boundary of the park.  We followed the boundary signs as well as kept track where we were on the map.  Turgyan let me lead for most of the hike which was very helpful for learning some navigation techniques as well as help me feel more comfortable in the back country.  We were able to discuss the importance of always being prepared for anything.  As a ranger, we are looked to for helping others when they become lost or get into some type of trouble.  If we do not come with the proper equipment (jackets, footwear, ropes) or sufficient supplies (food and water) a single-person search and rescue trip can become a multiple-person evacuation rather quickly.We also saw our fair share of wildlife while on our patrol which is always very neat to see!



Ponderosa Pine Tree damage done
by the Pine Beetles.



This past week I was able to get some time doing a ride-along with Ranger Steve Wollman.  When we would conduct a traffic stop Wollman would have me approach the car on the passenger side.  As he was handling the driver and getting information I would make “small talk” with the passenger.  He told me to always be aware of the person’s hands; that it is extremely important to be able to see them at all times.  He told me to also take a look in the car and be vigilant of any odd items that were in plain sight.  Once he would be finished with the contact we would compare the stories we were told by the driver and passenger to make sure their stories were similar.  Wollman explained to me the importance of approaching a contact in a way to make them feel that you are their friend.  It is about finding some type of commonality so you can make a connection which can help build their trust in you.  He told me that once you have their trust it makes the likelihood of getting their consent for a vehicle search that much greater. 

Every Flag Day, Mount Rushmore hosts the Naturalization Ceremony.  My duty during the ceremony was to let the vehicles into the amphitheater where the ceremony was being held.  Usually the driveway behind the amphitheater is gated off but the presenters needed direct access.  Unfortunately I was unable to see much of the ceremony, but there were many smiling and happy faces around the park.  It is amazing to see such pride and joy of these people becoming citizens and helps you realize what a great country we live in.  It is something that many of us take for granted and having this little reminder can make all the difference.

Another amazing view from
my back country patrol.

I ended my week with my first solo back country patrol.  My supervisor allowed me to go hike on my own and wanted me to get a better feel of the wooded part of the park.  This really gave me the opportunity to truly be on my own for a few hours and get a little more confidence navigating my way.  Every day here my experiences are different and I love the versatility Mount Rushmore has to offer.  There is still so much to see and learn and I’m doing my best to soak it all in! 

ProRanger Erin Langeheine