Re: Helicopter Rescue Training

The Yosemite Helicopter Rescue team will be conducting hoist training based out of either El Capitan or Ahwanee Meadow beginning at 7:00am May 3rd and continuing until winds pick up that day.

My kids got to enjoy the rescue helicopter landing in the Ahwahnee Meadow. As far as we could tell there was no immediate emergency. This was Friday around noon.

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"It is all very beautiful and magical here - a quality which cannot be described. You have to live it and breath it., let the sun bake it into you" - Ansel Adams

Not to pick nits, but that's not a "rescue helicopter," rather an "air ambulance."

http://www.americanambulance.com/Company/Co_Services.aspx

SkyLife Air Ambulance is a partnership between American Ambulance and Roger's Helicopters and provides rapid air medical transportation for the critically ill and injured trauma and medical patient. SkyLife started business in 1991 and has safely transported over 8000 patients. SkyLife's primary helicopter is based at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, CA and is staffed 24 hours/day with a flight nurse, flight paramedic, and EMS pilot.

Don't mind the nit pick at all...thanks for the info.

Just thought it was cool and kind of related. The kids love watching the pro's at work.

We couldn't help but wonder if it was a good thing, or a bad thing, that it returned empty? We opted for good!

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"It is all very beautiful and magical here - a quality which cannot be described. You have to live it and breath it., let the sun bake it into you" - Ansel Adams

Yeah, probably good.

YOSAR often uses a red and white helicopter that they share with fire, based in Crane Flat:
http://www.friendsofyosar.org/team/Helicopter_Rescue/helicopter_rescue_team.html

CHP birds see a lot of action. Sometimes military when it gets real heavy.

Here's a little story about the first helicopter rescue in YNP:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1645738