Most Yosemite Rescues in 2024 Were Preventable — Here's What Data Says
In Yosemite National Park, a picture-perfect adventure can unravel in an instant with one misstep or wrong turn, causing emergencies. In 2024, the park has witnessed many rescues, but surprisingly, there have been fewer dramatic emergencies and more common mishaps. The Yosemite Search and Rescue team is well-equipped to perform elaborate rescue missions like helicopter lifts and arrange technical rescues from complicated places like El Capitan and Half Dome. However, new data from 2024 revealed that the majority of rescues at the park are less intense and easily avoidable. According to Friends of Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR), the park recorded about 191 search and rescue responses last year, among which 90 of those were classified as major rescues and 39 required aviation support.
Among the incidents were also 16 fatalities, out of which 6 cases occurred due to natural causes. The major rescues weren't attributed to severe incidents like climbing accidents, but mishaps that are common and can occur with anyone. The rescues were related to everyday outdoor mishaps like minor slips and falls, leg scratches or injuries, exhaustion, and dehydration. Many rescues also occurred when hikers got stranded or lost within the park's premises, while other times rescuers were called to technical issues during climbs or water-related incidents like "slippery granite or swift currents." Although the YOSAR has been successfully rescuing and helping visitors, including dozens of "lifesaving" rescues, the causes leading to these incidents were surprising. "Yosemite is one of the most visited national parks in the country, and with big granite, big water, and big terrain, YOSAR stays busy. But the types of calls they respond to might surprise you," the official Instagram post read.
Why have minor slips and falls escalated at Yosemite? According to Active NorCal, the visitors might be less aware of the tricky terrain and conditions of the park. The trails are elevated, and lingering snow could make the granite wet and slippery. Oftentimes, adventurous visitors travel to remote places of the park with the help of unreliable navigation apps and find themselves stuck in the middle of nowhere, prompting rescuers to take control. Rather than underestimating, visitors should be prepared when they come to Yosemite. It's not a regular lower-elevation park, but quite complex and tricky in nature, which could put the visitors in peril. The YOSAR encourages visitors to understand and research hiking trail conditions before heading on their trip to the park. If you are hiking in groups, it's best to stick together and be prepared for tricky terrains by dressing appropriately for the place.
"We hope for as few incidents as possible, yet are prepared to provide aid to lost and injured visitors who come to enjoy the grandeur of Yosemite," the website says. The friends of YOSAR have also designed the “Yosemite Trip Planning Tool,” which allows hikers and visitors to share information about their route with the rescue teams. This is so that if something goes wrong, the team could rescue the person or group as soon as possible.
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