2021 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award

In the tradition of Harry Yount, the National Park Service honors rangers who have the skills to perform a wide scope of ranger duties protecting resources and serving visitors. Congratulations to the 2022 recipient of the Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award, Della Yurcik!

Duration:

1 minute, 28 seconds

Della Yurcik, a park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, has received the 2022 Harry Yount Award. The Harry Yount Award honors National Park Service (NPS) employees for outstanding service in traditional ranger duties such as search and rescue, emergency assistance, and protecting visitors and park resources.

Ranger Della Yurcik is known to many returning and first-time hikers at Grand Canyon National Park.

NPS Photo

Della Yurcik

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Since 2004, Ranger Yurcik has served as a backcountry law enforcement officer and an Advanced Life Support provider, flight medic, short-haul and technical rescuer. She serves regularly at Phantom Ranch, one of the most remote, high-traffic ranger stations in the National Park Service, accessible only via a 7-mile hike through steep, rugged desert terrain, a 5–7-day Colorado River trip, or helicopter. Despite its remote location, Phantom Ranch sees an average of 200 overnight guests and 400–500-day hikers and river users each day. Ranger Yurcik also served on high profile search and rescue missions, complex law enforcement cases, and provided life-saving medical care in the remote backcountry of Grand Canyon.

Ranger Yurcik is widely known throughout the backcountry and river communities as being one of the most knowledgeable, fair, friendly, and professional rangers Grand Canyon has ever seen. In 2015, her peers in the Canyon District were so weary of being asked by everyone if they knew “Ranger Della,” they had stickers created that read, “FWD-Friends with Della”. She is a treasure trove of good humor, stories, and phenomenal encouragement and support to those who meet her. Visitors regularly return to Grand Canyon and ask if Della is in the canyon so they can reconnect with her.

A "Friends with Della" sticker is often carried by other park rangers.

NPS Photo

According to the award nomination submitted by Grand Canyon National Park's Canyon District Ranger, Lisa Hendy, Ranger Yurcik has earned it. "Her ability to manage people with a balance of firmness and kindness is legendary. The Canyon District-known for an extraordinary range of call variety, in isolated areas and in some of the most extreme environments in North America, has provided the backdrop for this exceptional ranger to shine, provide medical care, provide singular customer service to visitors, and to train the next generation of rangers.”

Yurcik, known for her good humor and encouragement says, “I think it’s important for people to acknowledge the mental stress and toll that this job can take. It’s important to take care of yourself, along with your families, and the visitors. There’s going to be another search, another rescue, another emergency waiting tomorrow—years from now our visitors and coworkers are going to remember how we made them feel, not the number of emergencies we responded to.”

“We are proud and honored that Della was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Harry Yount Award,” said Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable. “She is one of the most dedicated and skilled rangers in the National Park Service and in addition to being an exemplary ranger, Della also serves as a mentor to other rangers throughout the park.”

Congratulations to Ranger Yurcik for your outstanding service to the National Park Service and Grand Canyon National Park!