Rescue on El Capitan

[dan swiger]

While searching for some Dogwood shots near El Cap, the sounds of helicopter blades filled the morning air.
To a Vietnam vet that sound is like a heartbeat.
Looking up there was a helicopter hovering close to the face of El Cap. I'm talking maybe 30 feet or so.
An onlooker pointed out the location of the climbers in a shadowed crevice.
There appeared to be 3 or 4 climbers stranded. One by one, they were picked off the face and brought down in a basket.
This is dangerous for all as the helicopter was hovering very close to the cliff face.
You can see the climbers & rescuers just to the right of the helicopter's shadow.

 

[Trent Watts]

Wow. Right place right time for the shot. Not so 'right' for the rescuers and the rescued.

 

[AlanLichty]

Scary place to fly a helicopter think less of plucking some climbers off the face of the rock while doing it. Amazing timing for the shot.

 

[JimFox]

That has got to be crazy for the helicopter pilot. Amazing that they can do it. Having that many to rescue at once is pretty odd too.