Man survives tumble from Sun Road

Hungry Horse News

Glacier National Park rangers rescued a construction worker after a 35-foot free fall Monday morning from the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Wainuma Ned of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was operating a small excavator when it became unbalanced and fell from the Sun Road near the East Tunnel one mile east of Logan Pass.

Witnesses said Ned jumped clear of the equipment as it fell over the edge of the road. Ned dropped 35 feet, then slid and tumbled down the hill ending up about 100 feet below the Sun Road on a scree field. The excavator stayed in front of Ned and tumbled to the bottom of the scree field about 200 feet farther down the embankment.

Co-workers immediately scrambled down the rocks to the victim and kept him still and warm. Ned was able to stand and briefly walk after the fall. He remained conscious throughout the incident.

Park rangers moved Ned to the Sun Road, where the Babb ambulance crew transported him to Logan Pass. The ALERT helicopter crew flew Ned to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Ned is an employee of Guinett Masonry, Inc. of Vancouver, Wash., one of the sub-contractors working for HK Contractors Inc. on the Sun Road rehabilitation project. He was moving rocks when the accident happened.

The excavator is in pieces but the gas tank remains intact. An investigation into the accident is underway.

The National Park Service was assisted in the rescue by Glacier County EMS, Babb Fire and Rescue, Border Patrol and HK Contractors Inc.