SLEEPING BEAR DUNES, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- More than 1 million people visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore each year.
Many come for the scenic views of Lake Michigan and the dune formations. But while seeking the best views, some find themselves in a sandy, but sticky situation.
As a park ranger, Andy Blake spends his days patrolling the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to make sure people stay safe.
"A big part of that job is search and rescue,” Andy said.
Since 2019, the park has averaged 32 rescues a year.
"We've had eight total for the year so, I think we're on track that we'll have roughly in the 30s for the number of search and rescues we have,” Andy said.
The most common places for these rescues are the Lake Michigan overlook at the scenic drive and at the dune climb.
"The dune trail, people get up there and they think they can climb the first dune and they're going to be at Lake Michigan,” Andy said. “And that's not the case."
The whole trip to the lake and back is about three and a half miles so it could take you two to four hours.
And some people run into issues.
"They're not properly prepared. They don’t have water with them. They don't have snacks. They don't have the proper clothing,” Andy said.
And at the Number 9 Overlook along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
"You start at the top, so people are already up there, and they think, ‘Oh it looks nice to run down that dune and jump into Lake Michigan,’” Andy said. “And then once they get down there, they don’t realize they have to come back up."
And it isn't easy coming back up. Just ask Emmett Riemenschneider.
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“It didn’t look that bad until I got down and then it was just bad the whole way,” Emmett said. “It doesn’t get any better."
Luckily, Emmett was able to make it up the dune on his own, but not everyone can say the same thing.
And a search and rescue operation can require a lot of manpower.
"It’s not just the national park service,” Andy said. “We have Leland Fire, Cedar Fire, Glen Lake Fire, Homestead Fire Department, Frankfort Fire Department."
And it can require a lot of equipment.
"We actually use ATVs and UTVs to drive into the dunes and extract them. if we don’t have the need to drive out there, we'll just try to go on foot,” Andy said. “A lot of them it’s just giving someone water and maybe a snack and just slowly walking them out."
But if someone is injured...
"It required ropes, a rescue basket and a lot of people to haul them out of there,” Andy said.
And getting stuck on the steep scenic overlook dune could result in a fine as steep as the dune itself.
“The National Park Service does not charge for search and rescue but some of the local fire departments will,” Andy said.
And it could cost you up to $3,000.
So, if you are heading out to the national lakeshore, make sure you're prepared.
"Your clothing should be loose fitting, light colored, you should have a hat on,” Andy said. “You should have shoes on, at least bring them with you, bring a pack, bring some water, electrolyte mix like Gatorade, and some salty and sweet snacks.”
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And if you are debating going down the Number 9 Overlook, Emmett has this advice for you.
"Just don’t do it,” Emmett said. “That’s my tip."
And here's a little pro tip from a park ranger, if you do decide to go down the dune at the scenic Lake Michigan overlook, instead of walking back up the dune, you can walk toward Empire and get to North Bar Lake.
However, you can only do this when the water level is low, like it is this year.