Project overview: Sustain essential visitor safety operations by providing a retainer stipend for the skilled volunteers on the Yosemite Valley Search and Rescue team, which should help offset the cost of living and volunteering part-time in Yosemite.  

How your support helps: Five million people visit and recreate in Yosemite National Park each year, and unfortunately, an inescapable consequence of recreation is medical emergencies. When accidents and injuries happen in the park, the Search and Rescue Team (SAR), composed of a select group of 10 volunteers with expertise in climbing and technical rescues, is the first to respond. 

The SAR volunteer team forms the backbone of rescue in Yosemite. They execute complicated rescues that otherwise would not be possible, and visitors who find themselves in need of medical services have a higher chance of survival thanks to SAR. 

However, SAR volunteers have historically struggled with low wages. SAR volunteers are paid for the duration of an emergency incident when they are actively performing a rescue, but they are not paid for their regular training or standby time as volunteers. Active rescue payments often average out to only $5,257 over six months, and since SAR teams are required to be on-call 84 hours a week, it’s nearly impossible for volunteers to maintain a second income. As a result, team members are often unable to return year after year, resulting in a significant loss of skill and expertise on our team. 

With your support, this project will provide each SAR team member a retainer of approximately $600 each month, which should help offset the cost of living and volunteering part-time in Yosemite. 

This year: In 2025, the National Park Service will recruit, hire, and train new members for the Yosemite Valley Search and Rescue volunteer team, offering a retainer of $3,600 per volunteer — in addition to active rescue payments — to ensure the safety, well-being, and continuity of team members. 

Project partner: Yosemite National Park