Tributes
"Welcome to our tribute page, a dedicated space honoring the extraordinary individuals who served on Yosemite Search and Rescue and are no longer with us. This page is a testament to their unwavering dedication, courage, and the profound impact they made within the Yosemite community and beyond. Brief biographies and obituaries you find here shares the stories of their lives, their heroic efforts, and their contributions to saving others while embracing the spirit of adventure and service that defines YOSAR. We remember and celebrate their legacy, ensuring their memory lives on in the heart of Yosemite and in the stories of those who knew and admired them."
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Chris Gray | Photo by: David Murphy
01/07/1985 - 10/15/2024
YOSAR 2019 - 2024
On October 15, 2024, Yosemite Search and Rescue Team member Chris Day died in an accident on Mariuolumne Dome. This is a profound loss for the YOSAR family and for all of us here in Yosemite National Park.
Chris was a true Yosemite Search and Rescue hero and valued member of our SAR team. He would drop everything to help his friends, teammates, or visitors in need. Over the past nine years he responded to 179 SAR incidents, and many other incidents including his most recent deployment for hurricane response, where he made significant, lasting, positive impacts across the nation.
Chris spent years exploring our mountains and other ranges around the world with a quiet and friendly presence wherever he went. As a climbing steward, he shared his desire to climb routes with Lord of The Rings references and taught and shared his love of climbing and the park to others. During quieter times, those who got to experience his musical talents were always in for a real treat.
We wish Chris safe passage on his journey to Valinor – J.R.R.Tolkien’s "Land Across the Sea"--a place for the immortals.
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Dean Potter
04/18/1972 - 05/16/2015
YOSAR -
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Niels Tietze
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Micah Dash | Photo By: Dean Fidelman
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Zach Orman