Instagram story viewer> @foyosar> Posts

Friends of YOSAR

@foyosar

9.4K

followers

547

following

Supporting Yosemite Search and Rescue since 2004
Education/ Infrastructure/ Equipment
501(c) 54-208 1466

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Yosemite Climbing Ranger positions open October 19, 2026, on USAJobs! (Link in Bio)

Have you ever dreamed of combining your passion for climbing, education, and stewardship with a career in Yosemite National Park? Now is your chance to apply!

Climbing Ranger positions are part of the National Park Service’s Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR) program, which focuses on reducing search and rescue incidents through education, outreach, and proactive engagement with park visitors and the climbing community.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
● Applications open: October 19, 2026
● Seasonal employment: Typically March–July 2027 start dates, depending on operational needs
● Location: Yosemite National Park
● Apply through: USAJobs.gov

IMPORTANT: These positions are grouped with other PSAR opportunities throughout the Pacific West Region. Yosemite’s Climbing Ranger positions have specific climbing qualifications used to screen applicants.

#YosemiteClimbingRangers #YosemiteNationalPark #ClimbingJobs #NationalParkService #PreventativeSearchAndRescue taken in Yosemite National Park by @foyosar

3k

33

2 days ago

Here is a quick systems check performed by a Vertical Medicine student.

She's preparing to perform a tandem rappel with an injured patient who isn't able to rappel on their own.

Checks like this happen on the ground to test knowledge, and in the air to keep you and your partner alive.

What would you change?

#wildernessmedicine #climbing #rescue by @foyosar

334

26

3 days ago

When Dipper dips, it’s always a delight, especially with El Cap in sight.

📸@bishop_yoga taken in Yosemite National Park by @foyosar

162

2

5 days ago

Using a Munter hitch in a top-managed setting is a great skill to have when working at a single-pitch crag, especially if you need to lower a climber and bring them back up from above. Here’s how it works:

1. Why the Munter Hitch?
The Munter hitch is a versatile friction hitch that allows you to lower a climber smoothly without a belay device. It’s simple, effective, and great for scenarios where you need to manage a belay from above.

2. Setting Up to Lower
Clip the rope into a locking carabiner on the master point using a Munter hitch.

Add a friction backup to the break strand and Maintain a controlled grip on the brake strand as you lower the climber, keeping steady tension.
Keep an eye on rope drag and positioning to ensure a smooth descent.

3. Belaying the Climber Back Up
Once they’re ready to climb, simply reverse the process, feeding rope through the hitch while maintaining brake hand control.

This technique is a key skill for guides, instructors, and multi-pitch climbers, offering a reliable way to manage partners from above without extra gear. Have you used the Munter hitch?

#laketahoe #wildernesseducation #california #weol #wilderness by @foyosar

71

0

5 days ago

Some stills from our recent Vertical Medicine class.

Real, usable skills for multipitch climbers.

#wfa #wfr #rockclimber #climbing #rescue by @foyosar

305

6

8 days ago

On October 6, YOSAR received a call for assistance on El Capitan’s iconic Salathé Wall, along the Freerider route; yes, the same route made famous by Alex Honnold in Free Solo.

During the climb, a flake reportedly broke where protective gear had been placed behind it, resulting in a fall and leg injuries that left the climber needing rescue.

Yosemite Helicopter 551 was deployed to attempt a specialized rescue maneuver known as the “beanbag throw” a technique pioneered by Yosemite rescuers to reach climbers stranded on vertical rock faces.

The technique involves throwing a weighted bag attached to a lightweight line from a suspended rescuer toward the climbers on the wall. Once a connection is established, the line can help facilitate access to the stranded climber for an aerial rescue.

In this instance, the throw was unsuccessful.

But here’s what makes YOSAR’s training and preparation so important: there’s never just one plan.

Technical rescues in Yosemite’s challenging terrain require extensive preparation, coordination, and multiple contingency plans. Teams train for different scenarios, knowing that weather, terrain, injuries, and unforeseen circumstances can quickly change the course of a rescue.

With the initial aerial approach unsuccessful, YOSAR implemented another plan.

Another rescue team was flown to the summit of El Capitan, where they initiated a complex, top-down technical rope rescue. Working together, SAR team members and paramedics carefully lowered the injured climber all the way to the ground.

This is what YOSAR trains for. When Plan A doesn’t work, the team has the experience, technical expertise, and adaptability to put Plan B, or C, or even D into action.

Rescues of this magnitude require extraordinary coordination between helicopter crews, technical rescue specialists, and medical personnel. Behind every rescue are countless hours of training, preparation, and teamwork that most people never see.

📸 Images and footage by SAR team member @stricker.josh

#YosemiteSearchAndRescue #FriendsOfYOSAR #ElCapitan #YosemiteNationalPark #ClimbingRescue taken in El Capitan, Yosemite National Park by @foyosar

894

11

10 days ago

MTN Field Guide is now on the App Store 🌲⛑️

It brings wilderness medicine references, assessment prompts, practice questions, and field tools together in one app. Core content works offline, and there’s no account to set up.

If you’re taking an MTN course or heading out on a trip, download it beforehand and get familiar with it while you have service.

Free for iPhone and iPad:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mtn-field-guide/id6771962439 (link in bio)

Try it out and let us know what’s useful—and what could be better. by @foyosar

41

6

12 days ago

Staying Alive: Skills Clinic 🧗

Join us for an evening with the Yosemite Climbing Rangers, Yosemite Climbing Association, and Friends of YOSAR focused on skills for safer days on the wall.

📅 Saturday, October 24
⏰ 6–8pm+
📍 Blue Granite Climbing Gym
💥 FREE — limited to 12 participants

Space is limited, so grab your spot early! Reserve through the link in our bio. by @foyosar

179

8

13 days ago

They are most active from April through October, following a pretty predictable routine based on the thermometer.

Here is how their schedule changes throughout the year:

• Spring (April – June): They are waking up from their winter naps and looking for love and food. Because the ground is still cool, you’ll mostly see them soaking up the sun during the middle of the day.

• Summer (July – August): Just like us, rattlesnakes hate the midday heat. They switch to a night-owl schedule, doing most of their traveling and hunting at dawn, dusk, and nighttime.

• Fall (September – October): As the weather cools down, they start heading back to their winter dens. They’ll sneak in some final daytime meals before winter, which means daytime encounters spike again.

Basically, if the temperature is between 75°F and 85°F, it is prime snake weather. Keep your eyes peeled on the trails, stick to the center of the path, and always look before you step over logs or rocks!

#wildernesseducation #yosemite #rattlesnake #wilderness #mountains by @foyosar

159

2

13 days ago

We all have a system when it comes to how we pack our bags and where everything goes.

But what happens when you get hurt. Do the people you’re with know where your items are?

When it comes to first aid and medication it’s never a bad idea to share with those you’re with exactly where those items are in your bag before heading out.

Is this something you do?

#wildernesseducation #laketahoe #california #wilderness #mountains by @foyosar

212

14

20 days ago

Happy National Public Lands Day!

Go out and play, explore, and enjoy the public lands we’re fortunate to have right here in the Sierra. 🏔️

A big thank you to all the employees who work on and care for our public lands. Your work helps keep these special places accessible, healthy, and beautiful.

As you enjoy these lands, help care for them by following Leave No Trace principles: pack it in, pack it out, stay on designated trails, respect wildlife, leave what you find, and dismantle unauthorized fire rings.

Enjoy it. Respect it. Leave it better than you found it.

📸 @jeantucky by @foyosar

252

0

23 days ago

As of this afternoon, September 25, 2026, the Dome Fire is 4,361 acres, with 18% containment. Thanks 🙏 Firefighters!

Friday: 💨Winds shifted in Tuolumne from moderate smoke in the morning, to slight haze mid day and then unhealthy air quality in the afternoon. Smoke was thick in Lee Vining Canyon but by the time we reached June Lake and Mammoth, the skies were clear and blue.

If you’re heading over Tioga Pass, check the latest smoke and air quality conditions before you go and be prepared for changing conditions.

Monday: 🌧️A chance of showers may help improve air quality, though smoke could still linger at times. taken in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Nat'l Park. by @foyosar

300

3

23 days ago