Ralph Tingey was interviewed by Dave Krupa on June 23, 2000, at Ralph's office at the NPS Regional Headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska. Ralph spent many years of his NPS career as a climbing ranger in the Grand Tetons, and elsewhere, before coming to Alaska to work as a climbing ranger at Denali. Although Ralph has moved into NPS management as Deputy Superintendent at the regional level, he continues to be an avid climber and outdoor enthusiast. Ralph offers a lively account of search and rescue activities and protocol, the special camaraderie of climbing rangers, and the evolution of rescue craft. Ralph's love of the mountains, climbing, and the mountaineering culture are clearly evident in this interview, as is Ralph's level-headed assessment of risk and challenge. He discusses not only the practical means of controlling risk, but also the psychological factors that can keep situations from turning into tragedy.
H2000-17-18
Ralph Tingey talks with Dave Krupa in Anchorage, AK on June 23, 2000. Denali National Park Jukebox Series.
1) Ralph's love of climbing and early experiences.
Salt Lake City, UT\ climbing -- learning\ Lone Peak\ climbing -- books\ climbing -- equipment\ gear\ Switzerland\ passion\ reading\ Teton Mountains\ Grand Teton\ Jackson Hole\ Teton Mountains -- summers\ climbing ranger\ Grand Teton National Park\ Egypt\ language -- Arabic\ Park Ranger
2) Working on educational degrees and working as a seasonal ranger.
interests -- balance\ job -- seasonal\ school\ Greek -- classical\ languages -- Near Eastern\ John Hopkins University\ graduate school\ climbing rangers\ Ph.D. -- programs\ international relations\ Reese, Rick\ Sinclair, Pete\ English\ [Airmarth], Mike\ Philosophy -- modern\ Irvine, Bob\ mathematics\ Wilson, Ted\ Economics\ Park Rangers\ climbers\ jobs -- summer\ teachers\ education\ program -- preparatory\ work -- Search and Rescue\ climbing -- expertise\ [Susong], Dunbar\ spring training\ authorities\ practice
3) The scope of Search and Rescue and typical job duties.
techniques -- rescues\ governments -- state\ governments -- local\ Rocky Mountain National Park\ Yosemite National Park\ Grand Teton National Park\ Mount Rainier National Park\ Denali National Park\ Hart, Pete\ Sinclair, Pete\ supervisor -- seasonal\ influence\ role model\ duties -- normal\ schedule -- revolving\ Jenny Lake Ranger Station\ climbers\ Jenny Lake -- campsite\ patrol\ Irvine, Bob\ Reese, Rick\ rangers -- shifts\ mountain rescue\ [Susong], Dunbar\ gear -- rescue\ climbing\ partners\ Salt Lake City, UT\ Grand Teton\ climbing partner -- Tim
4) Early climbing partners and the evolution of mountain rescue in the Tetons.
[Kimbrow], Tom\ climbing ranger\ Lowe, George\ University of Utah\ nuclear physics\ [Alpenbock] Climbing Club\ bouldering\ climber -- great\ routes -- first ascents\ rock climbing\ growing up\ Lowe, David\ Anchorage, AK\ Mt. McKinley\ Teton Mountains\ activity -- rescue\ helicopter\ Grand Teton -- North Face\ rescue\ rock fall\ leg -- broken\ loads -- ferried\ Teton Glacier\ helicopter -- importance\ deer carrier -- L.L. Bean
[Trogsitz] -- Austrian seat\ efficiency\ slings\ litter -- balance\ method -- sophisticated\ method -- use\ Grand Tetons\ helicopters -- importance\ tool -- main\ rescues\ techniques -- evolution\ Yosemite\ short haul\ techniques -- big wall\ helicopter -- sling load\ technique -- crude\ Lemoore Naval Station\ El Capitan\ military\ Salt Lake City, UT\ Hill Airbase
6) The integration of many rescue techniques in the National Parks today.
helicopter -- fire fighting\ helicopter -- Bell Jet Ranger\ Jackson Hole, WY\ Forest Service\ mountain rescues\ Grand Teton\ Sinclair, Pete\ rescue crews\ competition -- techniques\ innovation\ techniques -- integrated\ Yosemite National Park\ Grand Teton National Park\ Rainier National Park\ Rocky Mountain National Park\ helicopters\ carabiner -- break\ bars -- break\ equipment\ winch -- electric\ [Masdem] -- rope\ Austria\ Europe\ knots -- Bolin\ technique -- simple\ litter\ cable system\ weather -- bad\ rescue\ helicopter
7) The many places that he has climbed and how he ended up in Alaska.
approach -- initial\ rescue -- severity\ speed\ victims\ Teton Mountains\ technique -- smart\ Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)\ Ranger -- seasonal\ climbing\ climbers -- fanatic\ Yosemite\ Salt Lake City, UT\ Little Cottonwood -- granite\ City of the Rocks\ Europe\ United States -- Eastern\ Alaska\ Tingey -- son\ Tingey, Thor\ wife -- business\ Jackson Hole, WY\ expense\ vacation\ Mt. McKinley\ Alcan Highway\ Prince Rupert, BC\ vehicle -- van\ dogs\ Brooks Range\ dogsled\ arctic\ house
8) His new job in the newly expanded Denali National Park.
climbing ranger\ management -- assistant\ ANILCA\ Denali -- size\ subsistence\ hunting\ trapping\ mining\ negotiations\ caribou -- studies\ mining -- studies\ wilderness -- planning\ management -- plan\ shuttle bus system\ visitors\ concessions -- management\ permits -- road\ National Park Service\ people -- local\ community -- relations\ Fairbanks, AK\ Anchorage, AK
9) Managing early concessionaires and the relationship between the Park Service and concessions.
role\ management -- involvement\ climbing\ concessions\ guides\ concession -- evaluations\ superintendent\ Airy Northwest\ Rainier Mountaineering\ Genet Expeditions\ Mountain Trip\ Fantasy Ridge\ National Outdoor Leadership School\ Mt. McKinley\ services -- visitor\ institution -- educational\ Alpine Ascents\ American Alpine Institute\ Gooding, CO\ contracts -- renewal\ opportunity -- limited\ monopoly\ clients\ competition\ visitor -- focus\ experience
10) The Park Service's role in regulating guide services to ensure public safety.
National Park Service\ concession system\ Genet, Ray\ guide to climbers -- ratio\ human waste\ sickness\ safety\ numbers\ activity -- commercial\ control\ National Parks\ concession -- permit\ safety\ mortality rate\ Wilcox Party\ Cosmic Ray Party\ fatalities\ government\ precautions\ services -- guiding\ responsibility
11) Early impressions of Alaska.
climbs -- guided\ safety record\ comparison\ Salerno, Lynne\ fatality\ guides -- outstanding\ safety\ arrival\ climber -- experienced\ Alaska -- impressions\ Beaver Junction\ Denali National Park\ Cantwell, AK\ Alaska Range\ perspective -- outdoors\ low impact\ children\ kayaking\ skiing -- cross-country\ canoeing\ fishing\ backpacking\ dog mushing\ dog team\ mushing -- competitive
12) Mushing competitively and rock climbing around Denali National Park.
Denali National Park -- South\ McKinley airstrip\ cabin -- log\ dogs -- number\ Yukon Quest -- racing\ Coldfoot Classic -- racing\ dog mushing -- lifestyle\ children\ hides -- caribou\ sleeping bags\ camping\ rock climbing\ Savage Rock\ Park Hotel\ bouldering -- outlet\ rock -- quality\ Anchorage, AK\ Hatcher Pass\ rock -- granite\ Salt Lake City, UT\ Little Cottonwood Canyon\ rock climbing -- routes\ rocks -- access\ climbing -- roadside
13) Three climbs on Denali, including his first and most recent.
Denali -- climbs\ climbing -- desire\ Pearson, Grant\ climb -- patrol\ Reese, Rick\ Wilson, Ted\ Lowe, Dave\ Grand Teton National Park\ Swanson, Steve\ Swet, Brian\ Healy, AK\ climbers -- Japanese\ frostbite -- severe\ Rescue Gully\ rescue -- techniques\ helicopter -- Chinook\ Denali -- summit\ Miller, Daryl\ Talkeetna, AK\ patrol -- mountain\ service trip\ rangers -- challenges\ problems -- garbage\ problems -- waste\ climb -- family\ climbers -- Salt Lake City, UT\ Tingey -- son\ Tingey -- daughter
14) What he learned during his 37 day trip on the mountain.
Denali -- seriousness\ 14 camp\ crevasses\ avalanches\ ice -- slipping\ fatigue\ cold -- extreme\ altitude sickness\ rangers\ Hackett, Peter\ Medical Research Station\ rangers -- duties\ weather -- reports\ medical staff -- patrol\ treatment -- expectations\ rescue -- risk\ helicopters\ doctors -- world class\ frostbite
15) Responsibility for the maintenance of fixed lines and the increasing number of climbers on Denali.
fixed lines -- maintenance\ guides\ Okonek, Brian\ National Park Service\ Alaska Denali Guiding\ fixed lines -- locations\ headwall\ 14 camp\ Grand Teton National Park\ liability\ rangers\ ropes -- responsibilities\ ropes -- use\ climbing -- interest\ Teton Mountains\ climbers -- number\ magazines -- Climbing\ pitons -- Europe
16) Bottlenecks on the mountain and concerns about the number of climbers on the West Buttress.
climbers -- numbers\ crowds -- competition\ bottlenecks -- locations\ Windy Corner\ Motorcycle Hill\ fixed lines\ West Ridge\ Washburn's Thumb\ Denali Pass\ Summit Ridge\ bottlenecks -- number\ safety -- concerns\ bottlenecks -- exposure\ Teton Mountains\ climbers -- limiting\ Denali -- access\ Mt. Rainier
17) Attempts to alleviate problems with crowds and the popularity of rock climbing vs. alpine climbing.
climbers -- limiting\ guides\ Denali -- number of climbers\ climbing -- expense\ parties -- private\ alpine climbing\ rock climbing -- popularity\ sport climbing\ Teton Mountains\ alpine climbing -- difficulty\ Yosemite National Park\ Pillar of Frenzy\ Salt Lake City, UT\ gym climbing\ Denali -- problems\ human waste\ toilets -- building\ garbage\ rangers -- efforts\ citations -- issued\ wilderness\ National Parks
18) Role of the Army in rescues, and the benefits and uses of the Lama helicopter.
Search and Rescue -- role\ U.S. Army\ 14 camp\ High Altitude Rescue Team (HART)\ Fort Wainwright\ helicopter -- Lama\ rescue -- speed\ Stevens, Sen. Ted\ Talkeetna, AK\ helicopter -- use\ supplies -- hauling\ supplies -- medical\ toilet -- removal\ pulmonary edema\ frostbite\ rangers\ helicopters -- benefit\ wilderness\ safety -- importance\ human waste -- disposal
19) Changes in the typical climber on Denali and climbers' attitudes and perception of danger.
Denali\ attitude -- changes\ danger -- attitude\ climbers -- solo\ climbers -- unroped\ bamboo poles\ ladders\ Saunders, Norma Jean\ harness\ crevasse -- falls\ glacier -- travel\ accidents\ climber -- typical\ climbers -- changes\ fitness\ gear -- quality\ clothing -- material\ down\ Gore-Tex\ aveolite liners\ gloves -- down\ boots -- plastic\ overboots -- neoprene\ face masks\ climbers -- training\ preparation\ skill level -- increase\ Twight, Mark\ Backes, Scott\ House, Steve\ 14 camp\ West Rib\ South Buttress
20) Alpine vs. expedition climbing on Denali, the importance of acclimatization, and attitude towards risk taking.
alpine climbing\ expedition climbing\ Denali -- climbers\ acclimatization\ altitude sickness\ West Buttress\ West Rib\ Cassin Ridge\ routes -- difficult\ time -- factor\ routes -- exposure\ avalanches\ rock falls\ weather -- storms\ Tingey -- children\ climbing -- interest\ safety\ advice\ risk-taking\ mountains -- love of\ risks -- minimum
21) Importance of proper hydration and patience for waiting out bad weather.
Denali -- climbing\ water -- boiling\ hydration -- importance\ stove\ drinks -- hot\ cereal -- hot\ water bottles\ snow caves\ altitude sickness\ warm -- staying\ dehydration\ weather -- challenge\ frostbite\ wind burn\ disorientation\ Orient Express\ Messner Couloir\ Denali Pass\ time -- concern\ patience -- importance\ reading\ frostbite\ deaths
22) Taking advantage of good weather and waiting out the bad.
weather -- waiting\ summit -- importance\ impatience -- problem\ day -- heat\ heat stroke\ Kahiltna Glacier\ climbing -- night\ 14 camp\ weather -- window\ Little Switzerland\ Ruth Glacier\ climbing -- safe\ Donini, Jim\ Kichatna Spires\ reading\ patience
23) Involvement in rescues and risk-taking in rescue situations.
Kerrebrock, Chris\ body recovery\ crevasse -- fall\ Peters Glacier\ Gerhard, Bob\ Gill, Scott\ Waterman, Jon\ climbing rangers\ rescues -- involvement\ climbers -- Japanese\ climbers -- Armenian\ ribs -- broken\ social conscious\ assistance -- giving\ snow walls -- building\ Sinclair, Pete\ rescue -- risks\ North Face -- rescue\ litter -- packing\ climbing -- solo\ rock -- poor quality\ verglas
24) The effects and limitations that rescues have on a climber, and a couple dangerous situations he has been in.
climbers -- rescues\ rescues -- necessary\ rescues -- limitations\ alpine climbing\ Teton Mountains\ rescues -- frequency\ fatalities -- effect\ optimism\ situations -- dangerous\ litter -- packing\ Petzolt Ridge\ Conrad, Bill\ Grand Teton\ holds -- hand
25) Climbs in the Alaska Range he considers to be exceptional.
Denali -- impressive\ West Buttress -- beauty\ children -- pictures\ Mt. Foraker\ Mt. Hunter\ Alaska Range\ climbs -- exceptional\ Ruth Gorge\ Donini, Jim\ Tackle, Jack\ climber -- Austrian\ Stump, Mugs\ Mt. Huntington\ Czech Direct\ Cassin Ridge\ Infinite Spur\ routes -- stories\ technology -- improvement\ boots -- leather\ Lowe, George\ boots -- plastic\ equipment -- changes\ crampons -- heavy\ fur\ wool\ Muldrow Glacier -- route\ climbs -- early
26) The improvement in climbing technology and its effect on route selection.
rock climbing\ nuts\ pitons\ piton hammers\ equipment -- improvement\ protection -- placement\ protection -- rack\ routes -- early\ Muldrow Glacier -- route\ Czech Direct\ techniques -- changes\ climbers -- admiration\ magazine -- Climbing\ routes -- committing\ routes -- exposure\ Alaska Range -- climbing
27) The enjoyment and pleasure of being around and climbing with great mountaineers, who are also great people.
stories\ climbing -- enjoyment\ people -- quality\ Gill, Scott\ Covington, Mike\ Staley, Dave\ Tejas, Vern\ Athens, Peter\ Twight, Mark\ Backes, Scott\ House, Steve\ climbers -- world class\ climbers -- friendly\ climbers -- concentration\ experience -- family\ inspiration
28) Peaks he would like to climb and mountaineering as a life long passion.
future -- challenges\ friends -- climbing\ peaks -- desire\ Mt. Hunter\ Mt. Foraker\ Moose's Tooth\ Mt. Brooks\ Mt. Huntington\ peaks -- aesthetic\ Denali\ climbers -- aging\ mountaineering -- passion\ climbing -- life long\ Lowe, George\ Reese, Rick\ Wilson, Ted\ [Alpenbach] -- climbing club\ friends -- high school\ Utah