Current:Home > NewsDeath Valley visitor admits to damaging 113-year-old tower in an act of 'desperation'-InfoLens
Death Valley visitor admits to damaging 113-year-old tower in an act of 'desperation'
View Date:2024-12-23 14:28:34
A Death Valley National Park visitor has come forward and claimed responsibility for pulling down and damaging a 113-year-old historic salt tram tower last month.
National Parks Service, in a news release Thursday, said that the visitor came forward and claimed responsibility and said that they took the action "during a time of desperation while being deeply stuck in mud, and that it wasn't their intent to cause harm to the historic structure." Park authorities said that they will not be naming the person involved in the incident and it is not immediately clear if they will be pressing charges.
NPS, in an earlier news release, had said that it appeared that the historic tower was pulled over when a visitor "used a winch to extract their vehicle out of deep mud."
"Nearby tracks show that a vehicle drove a short distance off the legal roadway and got stuck in mud," NPS had said. "Park rangers believe that someone used the nearby tower as an anchor to pull their vehicle out of the mud. The tower toppled over, pulling its concrete footings out of the ground."
From Acadia to Zion:What travelers should know about each of America's national parks
NPS 'grateful' to those who reached out
Following the incident, NPS had put out a notice and requested members of the public to call a designated tip line and share any information they may have on who damaged the tower. The person responsible for the damage had also reached out to NPS via the tip line.
“We are grateful to the dozens of people who reached out to the park with information and for all the statements of support that we received from people who care about this place and its cultural resources,” said acting Superintendent Elizabeth Ibañez said in a statement. “Although we would certainly prefer that this damage hadn’t happened, we are glad that the person who did this ultimately took responsibility for their actions and came forward.”
NPS said that the park's resource management team is assessing the damages inflicted upon the salt tower and making plans to restore it responsibility. At the same time, the management has also requested the public to be patient as they carry out restoration work and have advised "well-intentioned people who don’t have the proper tools and training," to stay away from restoring or fixing the damaged tower lest they cause additional damage.
Authorities have also requested those traveling in remote wilderness with no cellphone coverage to carry a satellite-based communication device as a safety tool. Visitors have also been asked to stay on paved roads, especially during the upcoming sizzling summer months to avoid any unfortunate incidents.
Saline Valley Salt Tram
The historic 13-mile aerial tram was built by the Saline Valley Salt Company in 1911 to transport salt from Saline Valley to Owens Valley, according to NPS.
It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its age, length, steepness, preservation, and scenic setting.
The hottest, lowest and driest point in all of America, according to NPS, Death Valley National Park is located in southeastern California and is about two hours west of Las Vegas.
Answers to your biggest park question:What is the most visited national park in the US?
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Nearly 80,000 pounds of Costco butter recalled for missing 'Contains Milk statement': FDA
- American Airlines plane slides off runway at New York's Rochester Airport
- Fans sue Madonna, Live Nation over New York concert starting 2 hours late
- Israeli company gets green light to make world’s first cultivated beef steaks
- Horoscopes Today, November 13, 2024
- A Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot inside Russia causes a massive blaze, officials say
- Largest deep-sea coral reef discovery: Reef spans hundreds of miles, bigger than Vermont
- Live updates | Only a cease-fire deal can win hostages’ release, an Israeli War Cabinet member says
- Mattel says it ‘deeply’ regrets misprint on ‘Wicked’ dolls packaging that links to porn site
- Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear rips into spending plan offered by House Republicans in Kentucky
Ranking
- Messi breaks silence on Inter Miami's playoff exit. What's next for his time in the US?
- A jury deadlock brings mistrial in case of an ex-Los Angeles police officer in a 2019 fatal shooting
- Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin says he expects to be back next season
- Robert Griffin III says former coach Jay Gruden has 'zero integrity' in fiery social media feud
- Man found dead in tanning bed at Indianapolis Planet Fitness; family wants stricter policies
- Murder of Laci Peterson: Timeline as Scott Peterson's case picked up by Innocence Project
- Atlanta Opera will update Puccini’s ‘La Bohéme’ for the coronavirus pandemic
- Single women in the U.S. own more homes than single men, study shows
Recommendation
-
Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
-
Global buzzwords for 2024: Gender apartheid. Climate mobility. Mega-election year
-
Patrick Mahomes’ Dad Pat Gushes Over “Down to Earth” Taylor Swift
-
Japan’s imperial family hosts a poetry reading with a focus on peace to welcome the new year
-
Mississippi man charged with shooting 5 people after not being allowed into party
-
Nearly 75% of the U.S. could experience a damaging earthquake in the next 100 years, new USGS map shows
-
Trump urges Supreme Court to reject efforts to keep him off ballot, warning of chaos in new filing
-
Is Nick Cannon Ready for Baby No. 13? He Says...