Description
Book SynopsisThe men and women of Yosemite Search and Rescue work around the clock, ready to respond at any hour in any weather. It’s not all helicopter heroics and plucking unlucky rock jocks off The Nose of El Capitan. It also means helping the teen with the busted ankle on the Mist Trail, finding the missing child in Tuolumne Meadows, and rescuing the newlywed clinging to a slick rock after her raft implodes.
Most of Yosemite’s nearly 4 million annual visitors leave the park without a scratch. For a few, however, a vacation in this world-famous land of cliffs and waterfalls takes a turn for the terrifying. That’s where the YOSAR team comes in.
Author and legendary YOSAR team member Butch Farabee relates epic tales of endurance and survival, misadventure and fatal consequences. Also included are:
the origins of Search and Rescue in the national parks, including the U.S. Army’s key role;
advice for staying safe in the park;
profiles of SAR pros who do this dangerous work every day;
stories about YODOGS and animal rescues;
innovative techniques developed in Yosemite and now used around the world;
photos and descriptions of top-tier gear used by this world-class team of medics, climbers, and swift-water experts;
stats that any adventure geek will love;
and, of course, plenty of helicopters!
A must-read for thrill-seekers, armchair travelers, national park novices, and expert explorers alike. Get the inside story on the elite YOSAR team, and get inspired (and informed) for adventure
anywhere!
Trade ReviewFromThe Wall Street Journal, "Summer Reads for Your Inner Nerd," July 29-30, 2017: Elevator Pitch: "Butch" Farabee has participated in over 900 missions with Yosemite Search and Rescue. In this book, he chronicles those that his team and others have undertaken. Some stories end relatively favorably, like that of an Austrian climber who was rescued by helicopter from El Capitan—and who managed to have his severed thumb reattached. Others end in tragedy (you can tell by the foreboding synopses, like "A peaceful rafting trip goes terribly wrong," that precede the stories). All of these cautionary tales are followed by a "Takeaway" section, which explains mistakes that triggered the crisis ("disobeyed a warning sign," "wore the wrong boots"). Very Brief excerpt:"As day eight dawned, [photographer Galen Rowell and master climber Warren Harding] knew they were in true trouble, and might not survive. Rowell was complete soaked, his toes and fingers totally numb, but he still hoped to make it down the 1,400 feet of snow-covered cliff to the base of Half Dome."
