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RESCUES by YEAR
2011
| 2010
| 2009
| 2008
FEATURED PHOTOS
Edge attendant's view of NPS rescuers being lowered down the Wall of Early Morning Light on El Capitan for injured climber, October 2005. NPS photo. Rescue report and more photos.
A small plane crashed in a remote area just outside of Yosemite's northern boundary on 4-18-08, killing both occupants. NPS photo.
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MISSING PERSON - GEORGE PENCA 30 years old, 5' 10", 220 pounds Dark brown hair about 4 inches long, blue eyes, stocky build, speaks English. Last ween wearing gray sweatpants with white stripe, a black t-shirt that says "D & B" or a black tank top, gray/blue running shoes, had a blue cloth bag. 
Photos taken Friday, 6/17/2011. Last seen at the top of Upper Yosemite Falls on Friday, 6/17/2011, at 4pm. If you were near the top of Upper Yosemite Falls, the Upper Falls Trail, or any trail between the Valley and Tioga Road on Friday or Saturday 6/17 or 6/18, please call the Yosemite National Park Search and Rescue Office at (209) 372-0311 or (209) 372-0252 whether you have seen George or not. Your information will help us focus the search area. If you have trouble getting through you can call (209) 379-1992 at any hour.
RECENT RESCUES 2011
JUNE During the months of May and June there were dozens of minor calls where YOSAR personnel assisted visitors with numerous ailments, lost parties, and searching for overdue parties. Methods of helping visitors out of the backcountry included horses, helicopters, crutches, wheeled litters, lending arms and shoulders, and just being there to help encourage them and being nearby should they need further assistance. 6-27-11 HELICOPTER EVACUATION FROM LITTLE YOSEMITE VALLEY A 28 year old female was flown from Little Yosemite Valley to Crane Flat Helibase via the park helicopter after suffering nausea, diarrhea, and general malaise for approximately 36 hours. Due to significant right and left quadrant abdominal pain and positive orthostatic vitals, the decision was made to evacuate via helicopter. From Crane Flat the patient was transferred to an awaiting park ambulance and transported to the Yosemite Medical Clinic. 6-18-11 HELICOPTER EVACATION FROM SUMMIT OF HALF DOME YOSAR was notified of a 32 year old male needing medical assistance on the summit of Half Dome. The caller stated the sick person was fatigued with muscle cramping and was unable to return to the trailhead on his own power after ascending Half Dome when the cable were down. A Park Ranger Ryan Hiller was sent from Little Yosemite Valley to assess the person and assist him down. Members of the sick person’s party called to inform YOSAR that they planned to lower the person down the cable route and would meet the ranger on the sub-dome. As the Ranger Hiller arrived on the sub-dome at approximately 1900 hrs, a member of the party informed him that the sick person was unable to move on his own and was still on the summit and lying down. Fortunately a major search operation was under way for a missing hiker and the park helicopter was nearby and available. Due to the serious but conflicting nature of the on-scene reports, impending nightfall, and the possibility of a long and arduous carry out, the park helicopter was called in to evacuate the patient. As the helicopter was landing the patient had already begun a roped descent of the cables route, but the Ranger Jason Ramsdale helped to bring the patient back up to the summit (approximately 150’) and loaded the patient into the helicopter with the helitack crew. The helicopter then flew to the Crane Flat Helibase where the patient was transferred to Sonora Regional Hospital via ground ambulance for further evaluation. Dehydration was determined to be the primary cause of the hiker’s immobility. 6-15-11 HELICOPTER EVACUATION OF CLIMBER AFTER 60’ FALL ON ZODIAC ROUTE OF EL CAPITAN YOSAR was advised of a climber who took a 60’ leader fall on the first pitch of Zodiac, hitting the ground and sustaining injuries during the fall. Park Rangers Chris Bellino and Britta Duffy responded to the base and determined that helicopter short haul would be the most efficient method of extracting the patient due to terrain, length of time to perform the rescue, and number of personnel that would be needed for a ground rescue. Ranger Jeff Webb was short hauled to the scene. The patient was packaged by the rangers and extracted out to El Cap Meadow by helicopter. The patient was then flown via air ambulance to Modesto for further evaluation. 6-12-11 EL CAPITAN RESCUE ON THE MUIR WALL, INVOLVING LOWERING AND RAISING OPERATIONS YOSAR received a 911 call from a solo aid climber on the Muir Wall on El Capitan who took a leader fall and landed on a slab, sustaining an isolated ankle/foot injury. It was determined that the injury was not life threatening. After several phone calls with the injured climber he decided that he could not safely rappel down or continue leading up with his injuries. The following morning crews were flown to the top of El Capitan, and with the help of spotters on the valley floor, an appropriate location was found to initiate the rescue. The climber was at the top of the 23rd pitch, approximately 900-1000 feet below the summit. One rescuer, Ranger Jesse McGahey, was lowered to the injured climber, and then both the ranger and the climber along with the climbers gear were raised to the summit of El Capitan. The climber was assisted to the helicopter at the summit of El Capitan, flown to the Crane Flat Helibase, and transported to the hospital via park ambulance for further care. See the first hand account from the rescued climber here. 6-1-11 SNOWBOARDER WITH BROKEN FEMUR ON MT DANA, HELICOPTER EVACUATION YOSAR received a mutual aid requested from Mono County SAR to assist with a snowboarder who had sustained a broken femur on Mt Dana. Mono County requested YOSAR due to the remote location and the likely necessity of a helicopter short haul rescue. Two YOSAR members along with helitack crew members were flown to the Mt Dana area for a reconnaissance flight. YOSAR determined that the most appropriate method of extraction would be helicopter short haul. One YOSAR personnel was inserted to the scene where there were several Mono County SAR personnel, including a physician who had stabilized the patient’s leg and cleared the patient’s spine for injuries. The patient was secured into the litter and extracted to a landing zone on Highway 120 and an awaiting ambulance. The patient was transferred to the Mono County paramedics and transported to the Mammoth Hospital for further treatment.
MAY 5-31-11 CLIMBER FALL ON SNAKE DIKE RESULTS IN LEG INJURY AND HELICOPTER EVACUATION YOSAR was notified of a 22 year old male who took a 100’ ground-level fall at the base of Snake Dike on Half Dome and sustained an isolated lower leg injury. The patient had pain, numbness and tingling in the injured extremity and could hear the noise of “bone grinding on bone.” Due to the remote location of the accident YOSAR decided to use a helicopter to short haul the patient from the accident site to the Ahwahnee Meadow. Ranger Aaron Smith was short hauled to the scene and splinted the climber’s leg. Both Smith and the climber were extracted by helicopter back to the valley floor without incident. The patient was then transported via park ambulance to the hospital for further evaluation. 5-24-11 ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO LOST AND EXHAUSTED HIKER YOSAR was notified of a 20 year old male who became lost while hiking with friends near Half Dome. The lost person made cell contact with YOSAR and requested a helicopter rescue. He was directed on how to get back to the trail after determining his approximate location by surrounding landmark descriptions. After several phone conversations over several hours, the person decided that he could no longer move forward nor go back the way he had come. The person told YOSAR that he was too weak with hunger and exhaustion and could not go any further and again requested a helicopter. Due to sunset approaching, two YOSAR team members were sent up the trail starting at 1830 hrs to locate the patient. Once located the patient was given food and water and was hiked back to the valley floor without incident. 5-21-11 CARRYOUT FROM UPPER YOSEMITE FALLS TRAIL YOSAR members were involved in a lengthy carry-out via wheeled litter from just below the rim on the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. The report was for a 16 year old male weighing 250 pounds who had sustained a lower leg injury. Initial responders requested extra personnel due to the patient’s weight and difficult trail conditions, along with it now being dark. A total of 16 responders were needed for a long and arduous wheeled litter evacuation, with the patient arriving to the trailhead at 2200 hours. 5-19-11 HIKER FATALITY ON UPPER YOSEMITE FALLS TRAIL YOSAR was notified of an unresponsive male 47 year-old male patient approximately ¼ mile up the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. Rangers, YOSAR, and EMS personnel responded to the scene where bystander CPR was in progress. Despite numerous advanced life support procedures the patient was pronounced dead in the field and the subject was evacuated by a litter team without incident. The cause of the death may have been cardiac arrest. 5-13-11 HIKER FATALITY ON MIST TRAIL, TECHNICAL RECOVERY OPERATION ABOVE SWIFTWATER. YOSAR was notified that a male had fallen in the Merced River near the granite steps above the junction with the John Muir Trail. The first responder found the subject submersed in fast flowing water and partially pinned under a rock. The subject was in the river 100’ below a steep granite slab that prevented safe immediate access. It was determined that the length of submersion and visible injuries were not compatible with life and the operation was converted to a recovery operation. The next day a complex high line system was constructed and the body was recovered without any complications. Ranger Ed Visnovske led the recovery operation. 5-13-11 HIKER FATALITY ON UPPER YOSEMITE FALLS TRAIL. YOSAR was notified of a 35 year-old male who had fallen and hit his head high up on the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail. Park rangers and YOSAR members were dispatched to the scene. Despite numerous advanced life support procedures the patient was pronounced dead in the field and the subject was evacuated by a litter team without incident. A cardiac arrest or condition may have caused the fall. 5-12-11 TECHNICAL ASSIST TO CLIMBERS WITH STUCK ROPE YOSAR was notified of a climber on the third pitch of the Regular Route on Sunny Side Slabs who was too scared to climb up or down. The rope had become stuck on a flake as the leader was pulling in slack to belay the second. Due to the inability to communicate, the second not knowing how to ascend the stuck rope, and the leader unwilling to down climb or rappel the rope, they decided to call 911. Two YOSAR team members climbed the route and assisted the stranded climbers to the top and safely down the climber’s trail.
FEBRUARY 2-4-11 60-YEAR-OLD MALE "CLIFFED-OUT" BELOW TUNNEL VIEW At approximately 1930 hours, dispatch received a call from the friend of a hiker who had become lost while hiking down from inspiration point. The subject phoned his friend stating that he had lost the trail, his head lamp was dying, and that he was in a precarious position and unable to continue. Two Yosemite rescue personnel were sent to search for the lost hiker, who had started hiking from Tunnel View up to Inspiration Point, and lost the trail when he missed a switchback on his way back down. He hiked through the snow overtop of the tunnel and ended up getting cliffed out. He subsequently called for a rescue. Rescue personnel were able to locate him but unable to get to him safely due to the steep and loose terrain. Several other rescuers were called in to bring rigging equipment in order to safely access and egress with the subject. The subject was waiting on a small ledge with an emergency blanket when he was accessed via rappel at approximately 2:00 am. The rescue technician and subject climbed up the loose terrain to a safe location and hiked with the rest of the rescue team back to the Tunnel View parking lot at approximately 4:00 am.
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