From today's NPS Morning Report...

Yosemite National Park (CA)
Rangers Rescue Injured Climber

"On the morning of Sunday, April 20th, park dispatch received an emergency call from a member of a group getting ready to climb the Regular Route on Upper Cathedral Spire in Yosemite Valley.

The caller reported that the lead climber in a party above them had fallen while leading the route’s second pitch and that he was unable to move and needed medical attention.

A Yosemite rescue team, supported by California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter H-40 out of Fresno, was immediately assembled and flown to the location of the injured climber, a 26-year-old man from Palo Alto. Simultaneously, Yosemite climbing ranger Ben Doyle and rescuer Josie Mckee ascended fixed ropes to the injured climber.

Rangers David Pope and Jack Hoeflich were lowered to the injured climber via hoist and provided onsite medical attention. He’d fallen approximately 30 feet, hit a ledge, and sustained injuries to his back.

He was hoisted to the CHP helicopter and flown to El Capitan Meadow, where he was transferred to a medical helicopter and then flown to memorial hospital in Modesto. The rangers and uninjured climber rappelled back to the valley floor.

Supervisory Valley Ranger Chris Bellino served as the incident commander for this rescue."

Yet another SAR from a park with a vigorous and frequently utilized SAR capability. This compares nicely with the situation in Congaree NP, a current thread, where a newer park is coordinating with other agencies to resolve the situation.

If you are going to get into trouble in the outdoors, National Parks may be a somewhat better place to do so, but don't push your luck and don't rely on the rangers to be infallible. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else....