GDAL error reading ESRI binary GRIDs with > 1 tile index file

[jctoney@…]

When the uncompressed size of an ESRI binary GRID dataset is near 2 GB, a 
second tile index file (e.g., w001000x.adf) is created which references a 
second raster data file (e.g., w001000.adf). This is true even if the actual 
run-length-encoded data size is well under 2 GB. ESRI support site refers to 
these as "multitiled" rasters in Article ID 27056:

"A multitiled raster is usually created when the number of cells times the 
number of bytes per cell is close to 2 GB. Multitiled raster can be identified 
by looking in the workspace folder. If there is more than one wNNNNNNx.adf (N = 
numeric value) file, then the raster is multitiled."

GDAL (1.3.1 and 1.3.2) returns an error when it attempts to read data 
referenced by the second tile index file, e.g.,

ERROR 1: IReadBlock failed at X offset 0, Y offset 5016
ERROR 1: GetBlockRef failed at X block offset 0, Y block offset 5016

OpenEV will open these "multitiled" GRIDs, but does not correctly display the 
data referenced by the second tile index.

An example dataset (79470565.zip) is at:
(slow) ftp://ftp2.fs.fed.us/incoming/rmrs/missoula/ifsl/LANDFIRE/CToney_7.21.05/

or via http at:
http://www.spatialsimulation.org/LFDT/79470565.zip