P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
www.nps.gov/yose/news

209 372-0529 phone
209 372-0371 fax

October 23, 2004
For Immediate Release

Five Climbers Rescued on El Capitan in Yosemite
Two Climbers on "The Nose" Route Deceased

Yosemite National Park Rangers and search and rescue teams initiated a full-scale rescue effort Tuesday, October 19, for seven climbers on four different routes on El Capitan located in the west end of Yosemite Valley. It was during the first major storm of the season.

Yosemite Search and Rescue initiated the rescue efforts when they surveyed the climbing routes on El Capitan after the first wave of the storm on Tuesday, October 19. They observed two climbers from Japan on "The Nose" who were without a portaledge and were not moving. A portaledge is a tent-like storm shelter that climbers carry on long climbs and can be hung from the cliff.

Weather conditions initially made use of the park helicopter impossible. The rescue team hiked over eleven miles in driving snow, extreme wind, and poor visibility. It required a technical rescue to get down to the stranded parties.

A break in the weather allowed the helicopter to fly on Wednesday, Oct. 20. They were able to fly very close to the two Japanese climbers on "The Nose," a difficult but popular route that stretches from the Yosemite Valley floor to the summit of El Capitan. The rangers could see that the two people on this route were deceased.

Rescuers then diverted their attentions to other parties on El Capitan. David Turner was solo climbing and had been on the rock for 17 days. He had almost reached the top of his climb when Turner realized he needed assistance. Turner was taken to the summit and then transported by helicopter from the summit to El Capitan Meadow on Wednesday.

The first climbing team of two, Tom Thompson and Eric Erikson, both Californians, was climbing on the route named "Never Never Land." They were safely taken to the summit and then transported by helicopter to El Capitan Meadow on Thursday.

The second climbing team of two was on Salathe Wall. Marisol Monterrabio Vekasco from Santa Torre, Mexico, and her climbing partner Tom Andrews of New Paltz, NY, were taken to the summit and then transported by helicopter from the summit to El Capitan Meadow. They were on the ground at 3:15 pm Friday afternoon after their dramatic rescue.

All five of the rescued climbers are considered very capable and extremely skilled climbers and were in good condition after being rescued.

The two deceased Japanese climbers were taken off the rock on Thursday. They were taken to the Mariposa County Coroner's Office, where the deceased were identified as Mariko Ryugo, 27, and Ryoichi Yamanoto, 26, and the cause of death was deemed hypothermia. Ryugo and her climbing partner Yamanoto were from Hyogo, Japan, located in Western Japan and were visiting Yosemite with two friends.

Marin County, Placer County, and Mariposa County Search and Rescue teams assisted Yosemite Search and Rescue. Approximately 95 to 105 personnel were involved in the rescue operations.

-NPS-