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6 Stranded Climber
Author: Pete Carlson We received a call about 1900 to go to Yosemite Valley to help 6 people from the top of Half Dome. The situation was heavy snow falling and no clearing for 3 days. After all the calling RMRU had Bernie and myself saying we could go. Bernie and I left at 2400 hours for the drive to the Valley. We met up with Sierra Madre in Bakersfield and as a group reached the Valley at 1000 hours. Rick Smith the coordinator met us and told us there were two climbers almost up Half Dome. So we laid down for some sleep. When we awoke at 1400, the sky was clear and a helicopter was taking the people from the top. The people in the field hiked back and we relaxed around the Valley with 18 inches of new snow. The MRA had 22 fully equipped winter mountaineers ready to go, but because of the lucky change in the weather we were not needed. We spent Friday night in the Valley talking to the park service people and having a nice dinner and party with them. Saturday morning we drove home arriving in Riverside at 1530 hours. TOTAL 88 Man hours, 760 miles. |
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