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Recent Update: 10-12-07 - Serious Climber Injury / Church Bowl
A climber on top-rope was lowered off the end of the rope.
This report includes a first-hand account and analysis of the chain of events that led
to serious injury.
Recent Update: 11-11-07 - Climber Fatality / Cathedral Peak
A long awaited, in-depth and first-hand account of the tragic weather-related mountaineering death
of Peter Noble near Cathedral Peak in Yosemite's Tuolumne Meadows, November 2007. A detailed
climber's account of the incident is followed by analysis from YOSAR's best SAR gurus.
6-13-08 - Injured Climber - East Buttress, Middle Cathedral Rock
Report and photos from evacuation of climber injured in a lead fall from Middle Cathedral Rock.
The twelve person rescue team climbs through the lower portion of the ascent route. Photo by David Pope.
6-13-08 - Lost Hikers - Cliff Bands Above Tenaya Canyon
Yosemite Dispatch received a 911 call from two hikers that were ledged out
above Tenaya Canyon and were requesting help. A Park Ranger was able to contact them on their cell phone and
learned that they had intended to hike from Olmstead Point to Mirror Lake via the Snow Creek Trail. During their
hike they lost the trail and became cliffed-out above Tenaya Canyon, no longer being able to descend. The missing
party had a GPS-enabled cell phone and when they placed a 911 phone call Yosemite Dispatch was able to
determine their location, which appeared to be in the cliff bands between Mountain Watkins and Snow Creek
switchbacks. Helicopter 551 was launched to determine their location for evacuation the following day.
Once spotted, a safe landing zone was found and the hikers were extracted that evening before sunset.
6-12-08 - Fatal Fall on El Capitan / North American Wall
A man fell to his death from El Capitan, apparently while hiking along the summit.
An investigation is under way. If you were near the top of El Capitan or were looking
at El Capitan and saw something on the afternoon of Thursday, June 12, please call
209-372-0215.
6-8 to 6-11-08 - Major Search for Missing Visitor / Glacier Point
A large-scale multi-day search effort for Fresno resident Esmin Garmendia-Barrios
ended successfully on Wednesday, June 11 when he was found alive and well by helicoper spotters in a
rugged area of wilderness near Mt. Starr King. Several hundred people assisted in the
search effort, including dog teams from YODOGs-the Yosemite search dog cadre-and assets from Mono, Tuolumne, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara,
Ventura, Fresno, Contra Costa, Santa Barbara and Sierra Madre Counties, as well as the Bay Area
Mountain Rescue Unit, China Lake Search and Rescue, and the California Conservation Corps (CCC). More information
and photos will be posted when the investigation is completed.
More about this rescue:
Yosemite News Releases
Missing Fresno Man Found In Yosemite National Park - CBS5 San Francisco (KPIX)
6-9-08 – Swiftwater Rescue at Mirror Lake
While the Garmendia Search (see above) was in full swing, YOSAR received a report of a visitor stranded on a
rock in the middle of the rapids above Mirror Lake. The visitor was attempting to cross Tenaya Creek when she was
swept downstream by the strong current. She was washed down to a boulder mid-stream and was able to pull herself
out of the frigid water and onto the rock. The swiftwater rescue team and the Yosemite Fire Department were able
to safely return her safely to shore.
6-8-08 – Rescue of Injured Hiker at Taft Point
A woman hiking along the south rim of the Yosemite Valley sustained an ankle injury and was no longer able to
hike under her own power. A rescue team carried the patient out on a litter to the Glacier Point Road.
6-7-08 – Evacuation from Lower Yosemite Fall
A visitor slipped and fell while walking on wet rocks near Lower Yosemite Fall and dislocated his shoulder. He
was assisted down to the road and transported to the Medical Clinic where his shoulder dislocation was reduced
(put back in place).
6-3-08 - Air Evacuation of Critically Ill Day Hiker / Half Dome
A hiker on the Half Dome Trail just below the Sub Dome experienced seizures and altered mental status. A rapid air
evacuation was carried out for the critically ill hiker.
5-27-08 – Hiker Injured While Avoiding Rock Fall
While hiking along the Four Mile Trail, a hiker injured his knee and bruised his pelvis while attempting to escape
falling rock. He avoided the rockfall by leaping down a switchback, but unfortunately injured himself in the process.
A rescue team came to his assistance and carried him down to the valley floor in a litter. The Four Mile Trail was
closed until further geological evaluation could be preformed. The trail has since been deemed safe and reopened.
5-27-08 - Injured Climber Rescued by Helicopter from El Cap
After spending several days on the Salathe Wall of El Cap, a climber was rescued using
short haul with the park contract helicopter. A full report will follow.
The climbing party waits on Long Ledge for the YOSAR rescue team to reach them. Photo by Dave Pope.
H-551 touching down with Ranger Michener and the injured climber after a successful short haul mission. Photo by Dave Pope.
Injured climber hobbles to a waiting ambulance, four days after his injury. Photo by Dave Pope.
5-24-08 – Lost Hikers Rescued in Snow Storm
A pair of hikers became lost while attempting to hike along the north rim of Yosemite Valley, from Snow Creek
to the Yosemite Falls Trail. They lost the trail due to extreme fog and several inches of fresh snow dusting the ground.
A group of searchers began hiking up the Yosemite Falls Trail around 6pm and located the hikers near Indian Canyon.
The lost hikers were led safely to the valley floor by around 2am.
5-15-08 - Climber with Serious Head Injury / El Cap
A climber on the Nose sustained life-threatening head injuries after a leader fall, requiring
air rescue. Read more / photos.
5-18-08 - A Busy Day for YOSAR
Summer weather is here, and so is our summer call-load. Yosemite Search and Rescue responded to 5 rescue incidents on the afternoon of 5/18/2008. Twenty five rescue personnel
were deployed on these missions.
1:45pm - A person on the John Muir Trail sprained their ankle. A rescuer on a horse was sent to the injured person to bring them back to the Valley floor.
2:30pm - A man swimming in the Merced River near Camp Six day use parking began to panic as he was swept into the current. He managed to haul himself out of the water on an island in the middle of the river, but started to slip into an altered level of consciousness due to hypothermia. He was warmed on the scene and carried back across the river to safety.
3:00pm - A hiker injured their ankle about 1.5 miles up the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. A rescue team was sent up to carry the patient out in a litter.
3:15pm - A man with an altered level of consciousness was reported on the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. Rescuers responded to the scene and found that the patient was feeling better after eating some food and hydrating. He refused assistance.
4:45pm - A woman on the Mist Trail near Nevada Falls was reported to be dehydrated and exhausted. Three rescuers were sent to assist her. After resting she felt that she would be able to walk down under her own power with assistance from the rescue team.
5-15-08 – Tree Failure Injures Two Visitors
At the Lower Yosemite Fall foot bridge, a tree fell and injured two people. A Park Ranger began treatment of
both patients, neither of whom was suffering from life-threatening injuries at that time. Care was transferred to a
Nurse Practitioner and Paramedic from Yosemite Medical Clinic. One patient suffered a broken thumb and fractures
of the left radius, along with abrasions of the left arm and upper chest. The other patient was flown by Air-Med to a
hospital for definitive care after sustaining a shattered right scapula and a broken left ankle.
5-9-08 – Climber Assisted Off of Half Dome
A woman became stranded at the top of the first pitch of the Regular Route of the Northwest Face on Half Dome
after jugging a fixed line to flee from a bear. She had been waiting at the base while her friends were
climbing the Regular Route when a bear came into her camp and began sniffing her food, which was suspended in a
tree. The bear frightened her, so she jugged the line, but once she attempted to rappel she realized that the 30 feet of
snow piled on the bottom of the fixed rope made it too tight to apply a rappel device to the rope. After requesting
assistance, three technical rescuers hiked to the base and set up a new line for her to rappel on. Park regulations
require that all food be stored in bear-proof canisters or boxes during overnight stays in the backcountry.
5-8-08 – School Bus Accident - Mass-Casualty Incident
Emergency response resources from throughout the park and surrounding agencies were dispatched to the Big Oak Flat
Road (Hwy 120) near the intersection with Hwy 140 after two school buses full of children collided. Several passengers
were transported to surrounding hospitals with minor injuries. The park's Mass-Casualty Incident Response Plan was
implemented during the incident, with a large and rapidly-evolving Incident Command System.
5-7-08 – Carry Out from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail
A visitor was hiking down the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail when she slipped and fell above Columbia Point, injuring
her left ankle. A team of rescuers hiked up to her location and carried her down on a litter. She was transported to
the Medical Clinic for further evaluation.
5-6-08 - Carry Out from Upper Yosemite Falls Trail
A Park Medic was dispatched up the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail to a hiker just below Columbia Point after she
lost consciousness. The report was that she had regained consciousness, but was not fully alert. A litter team
was sent up to carry the patient down the trail. She was later transported to the Medical Clinic for further
treatment.
4-18-08 - Fatal Small Plane Crash Near Yosemite
A small plane crashed in a remote area just outside of Yosemite's northern boundary, killing both occupants.
2-7-08 - Parkwide Medical Emergencies
February 7th was a busy day for Yosemite Emergency Medical Services. Park EMS personnel
and ambulances reponded first to a critical patient in respiratory distress
at the Big Oak Flat Entrance
Station around 9:30am. In the early afternoon, a woman suffering from a possible heart
attack on the Glacier Point ski trail was evacuated from Badger Pass. Just before 4:00pm
a man skiing at Badger Pass possibly broke his femur. He was evacuated from the hill by
Badger Pass Ski Patrol and transported from the resort by Med Flight
helicopter using an improvised landing spot.
2-4 to 2-5-08 - Search for Missing Snowboarders
After three snowboarders failed to show up for their pickup in Yosemite West, YOSAR
launched a large two-day search effort, involving more than 65 ground and air resources.
After traveling more than four miles through deep snow and treacherous terrain,
all three snowboarders were found in good health at the bottom of the
South Fork Canyon of the Merced River and evacuated by helicopter. More information to
follow.
More recent rescue reports and photos.
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