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Grand Teton officials crack down on illegal paragliding JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Grand Teton National Park officials are confiscating the equipment of paragliders who land in the park and ordering the lawbreakers to appear before a federal magistrate. It is illegal to parachute or otherwise land in a national park except in emergencies. On June 13, four paragliders from Jackson Hole took off from Rendezvous Mountain at Teton Village outside the park and landed in the park, according to park spokeswoman Joan Anzelmo. Annie Louis Band, Shandy Oneal and Luke Madsen have been ordered to appear in federal magistrate court Aug. 10. John Smith pleaded guilty and paid a fine, according to Anzelmo. It was not immediately clear how much Smith paid. The others face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted, according to Anzelmo. Dan Olsen, a member of the Jackson Hole Paragliding Club, said paragliders often fly over the park and touch down in Teton Village 99 percent of the time. But sometimes they make emergency landings in the park when the winds suddenly change, he said. Paragliders have asked park officials to consider making exceptions, but the park has ignored the requests, he said. The president of the U.S. Hang Gliding Association plans to visit Jackson Hole in August and may approach park officials on the emergency landings issue, he said. Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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