FEATURED PHOTO

POPULAR REPORTS from 2004 - 05

* Analysis of the Fatalities on The Nose, October 2004. Posted 6-25-07

* Photo gallery of 3,000-foot rope rescue of an injured climber from New Dawn on El Capitan, October 13 2005.

* Valuable analysis of two climbers' epic on Royal Arches, June 16 2005.

* Rescue report and analysis of an injury lead-climb fall on Lembert Dome, July 5 2005.

* "Must read" accident analysis from Accidents in North American Mountaineering (ANAM) provided by The American Alpine Club. Reports are available for 2001, 2002, & 2003

RESCUES by YEAR

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008
2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
2003 | 2002 | 2001
Statistics: 1989 to 1999

This page last updated on 2/7/09

SELECTED RESCUES

2/5/2005 - Evacuation of Fallen Lead Climber on El Capitan
Climber leading Moby Dick was injured in a fall to the ground, requiring a medical carry out.

11/20/2005 - Evacuation of Fallen Lead Climber on El Capitan
Climber aiding La Escuela pulled several pieces and hit the ground, requiring a medical carry-out.

10/13 - 10/14/2005 - Rescue of Injured/Stranded Climber on El Capitan
After his arm was badly cut by falling rock, a climber and his partner on New Dawn require a full-scale El Capitan rescue.

July - September 2005 - Swiftwater Summer
2005 saw multiple swiftwater fatalities and near-misses on the Merced River. Photo compilation from several operations. (pictures only)

7/22 - 7/23/2005 - Search and Rescue for PCT Through-hiker
Eyes swollen shut and unable to walk, a PCTer north of Tuolumne sent a desperate plea for help, spawning a two-day rescue effort.

7/11 - 7/12/2005 - Lead Climber Fall on Fairview Dome - (PSAR)
Nearing the top of Lucky Streaks, a hand-hold broke off, dislocating the leader's shoulder. An all-night high-angle rescue was conducted from the summit.

7/05/2005 - Lead Climber Fall on Lembert Dome - (PSAR)
Off route and run-out, a climber on Northwest Books was injured in a 30' lead fall, requiring rescue.

6/18/2005 - Lead Climber Fall on East Buttress, El Capitan
A climber slipped on wet rock and sustained spinal injuries. A helicopter short-haul rescue was initiated. (pictures only)

6/16 - 6/17/2005 Stranded Climbers on Royal Arches - (PSAR)
A pair of climbers were benighted in a storm at the top of Royal Arches without overnight gear. A night rescue was required to guide them to the ground.

5/1/2005 - Techincal Carryout of Bear
YOSAR assisted Bear Management by effecting a carryout of a sedated bear through the boulders above Le Conte. (pictures only)

2/20/2005 - Horizon Ridge Search and Rescue
A solo skier became lost in a fierce winter storm near Ostrander Lake. A dramatic ground and air response was required to save the severely hypothermic patient's life.

2/10/2005 - Summit Meadow Evacuation
Yosemite Dispatch received a phone call reporting an injured skier near Summit Meadow on the Glacier Point Road. Park Service personnel responded immediately on the NPS snowmobile. They located the patient about 1/4 mile from the Badger Pass trailhead.

After arrival on scene, a ranger performed an initial medical assessment and found the patient to be alert and conscious but complaining of back and neck pain. With assisstance from Yosemite Institute instructors in the area, the patient was placed on a backboard with full c-spine control and transported by sled to the Badger Pass A-frame.

The on-duty Registered Nurse took over patient control upon arrival at the A-frame. The patient was further examined and transported by ground ambulance (Medic 3) to the Yosemite Medical Clinic.

1/26/2005 - Glacier Point Road Assist
Badger Pass Wilderness Ranger G. Young received a report of a skier on the Glacier Point Road that needed assistance getting back to Badger Pass. A Delware North Company ski guide reported that he was skiing back to Badger Pass from Glacier Point with an overnight ski tour when one of the group began complaining of hip pain and could not ski beyond the Bridalveil trail junction. The injured person was left at the Bridalveil Campground trail junction to wait for help to return.

Ranger Young used a NPS snowmobile to drive the Glacier Point Road to locate the subject. At about 1415 hours Ranger Young located the subject slowly skiing west on the Glacier Point Road near the Limit Trail junction. Ranger Young snowmobiled to Bridalveil trail junction to pick up the subject's pack. He then picked up the subject and drove him back to Badger Pass on the snowmobile.

The subject declined medical evaluation or care and was able to leave the Badger Pass area by personal vehicle.

12/17/2004 - Stranded Hikers at Glacier Point
Yosemite Park Dispatch received a phone call from the Yosemite Medical Clinic reporting two stranded hikers at Glacier Point. The clinic staff said that the hikers were calling from Glacier Point, and the clinic staff told them to hang up and dial 911 to talk to dispatch.

At 1725 hours Park Dispatch got a 911 call from the hikers, and transfered the call to the Wawona Ranger Office. The caller said that he and his friend had hiked up the Four Mile Trail from Yosemite Valley. They got up to Glacier Point at about 1600 hours. They realized that they could not get down because of the icy conditions of the trail. The caller said that they had jackets but were wearing shorts. They had a pack with food and water and a flashlight. He said that the trail was too dangerous to go down. 

At about 1825 hours Rangers Young and Ewart started towards Glacier Point on snowmobiles. A ranger from the Valley District was dispatched to Chinquapin to take the hikers down to the Valley after they were picked up at Glacier Point. 

The Four Mile Trail is closed in the winter months due to icy conditions--do not attempt to use the trail when it is closed.

10/19 - 10/22/2004 - El Capitan Rescues
On 10/17/04 a severe storm hit Yosemite and lingered for several days. Four climbing parties high on El Capitan were stranded, triggering a massive multi-day rescue effort.

10/19 - 10/21/2004 - Analysis of The Nose Fatalities
An in-depth look at the choices and circumstances that led to the tragic deaths of two climbers on The Nose.

10/19 - 10/21/2004 - Fatalities on The Nose
A pair of Japanese nationals high on the Nose died while attempting to climb out from Camp 6 during the storm's full fury.

10/19 - 10/22/2004 - Rescues on the Salathe Wall
With no food and dangerous climbing conditions, two climbers high on the Salathe Wall became stranded, requiring YOSAR aid to escape.

10/19/2004 - "Flagging"
A first-hand account of blazing the way through the storm for the dramatic El Capitan recue effort, written by Yosemite Climbing Ranger Lincoln Else.

10/19 - 10/22/2004 - Pictures
Selected pictures from the El Capitan Rescue Complex.

9/02 - 9/03/2004 - High Sierra Camp Search
A family of five, including young children, was reported overdue to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, prompting a large search effort.

3/29 - 3/30/2004 - Overdue Hiker - Yosemite Falls Trail
On March 29th, 2004 at 4:25pm a Ranger took a report of an overdue male hiker. The hiker had last been seen by his mother at 5:20am the same day, hiking up towards the Snow Creek Switchbacks. The hiker had planned to hike the approximately 20 miles up Snow Creek, along the trail, and down the Yosemite Falls Trail. The hiker had planned to meet his family in front of Degnan’s Deli at 1:00pm and had not returned.

At 6:00am on March 30th, two teams of two people were sent up the Yosemite Falls Trail and the Snow Creek Trail. Soon after, a helicopter search operation was ordered and a California Highway Patrol helicopter was also ordered.

At 7:15am the Incident Commander received information from another park employee that she had heard someone yelling in the Church Bowl area. Two rangers were sent to Church Bowl area and after using a PA system made verbal as well as visual contact with the missing hiker, who was located high on the Ahwahnee Ledge system.

At 9:22am all ground teams returned to the SAR cache, while the helicopter flew a reconnaissance mission to determine ground access to the missing hiker. At 11:19am ground teams made contact with the missing hiker. The rescuers determined that the hiker was uninjured and escorted him down to the valley floor.

The rescue team and the hiker safely reached the ground at 2:15pm.