Lost at Hetch Hetchy
On Feb. 20, 2018 rangers at Yosemite National Park were alerted of a potential missing person who was last known to be backpacking in the Hetch Hetchy area of the park, located in Yosemite's remote northwestern region. Hiker Alan Chow had not shown up for work that Tuesday and had told a friend he had plans to go backpacking at Hetchy over the weekend. The search for Chow began immediately that afternoon and continued over the course of four days and through brutal weather conditions. These photographs provide only a glimpse into the efforts by search and rescue crews and park rangers, and were all taken during the final day of the search when the skies had finally cleared and temperatures had increased significantly. After countless hours spent in the command post coordinating logisitics and communicating with crews in the field who were scouring an area of roughly 80 square miles, Chow was spotted by helicopter standing outside his tent on Feb. 23, 2018. He sustained a minor ankle injury, but was otherwise in good health and extremely grateful to be brought to safety and reunited with his family.
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Valley District Ranger Jack Hoeflich (left) and Contra Costa Search and Rescue volunteer Frank Moschetti (right) discuss logistics for search and rescue teams in the field inside the ranger office and incident command post in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. Hoeflich and Moschetti were called in to assist Hetchy rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Valley District Ranger Jack Hoeflich (right) refers to a map of the Hetch Hetchy area in Yosemite National Park inside the ranger office and incident command post at Hetch Hetchy. Hoeflich is part of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team and was called in to assist rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: A map designating search areas and assignments in the Hetch Hetchy region of Yosemite National Park sits on a table inside the ranger office and incident command post at Hetch Hetchy. Rangers and search and rescue teams are looking for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Marin County Search and Rescue volunteer Nick Forbes crosses the O'Shaughnessy Dam with his team en route to the Beehive Meadow trailhead to begin their hike to Lake Vernon in the Hetchy Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting Yosemite National Park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS Photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: A Marin County Search and Rescue team crosses the O'Shaughnessy Dam en route to the Beehive Meadow trailhead to begin their hike to Lake Vernon in the Hetchy Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting Yosemite National Park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: The El Dorado County Sheriff search and rescue vehicle is parked near the backpacker's campground in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The El Dorado County Sheriffs Office was called in to the park to assist rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. California Highway Patrol, Bay Area Mountain Rescue, the California Office of Emergency Services, Marin County Search and Rescue, the Tuolumne County Sheriffs Office, Contra Costa Search and Rescue, Southern California Winter Ski team, and Yosemite Search and Rescue teams assisted in the operation, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by a National Park Service helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: The Hetch Hetchy helipad and reservoir are seen in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. Rangers and search and rescue crews are searching for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog teams take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: A Southern California Winter Ski team prepares to take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park while U.S. Park Ranger Scott Nash stands watch. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: U.S. Park Ranger Gary Bias (right) de-briefs search and rescue teams after the successful rescue of Alan Chow, a backpacker who went missing in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. Chow was reunited with his family after being found by search and rescue teams on the fourth day of their search and Chow's sixth night in the wilderness. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. Chow became disoriented and while hiking after slipping and falling off trail and injuring his ankle, making him unable to hike out. Chow rationed his food and stayed dry inside his tent for nearly a week until search crews were able to spot him. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog teams take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Public Safety Dispatcher Tess Morin (left), U.S. Park Ranger Jack Hoeflich (center), and Contra Costa Search and Rescue volunteer Frank Moschetti (right) communicate with search and rescue teams in the field via radio from inside the ranger office and incident command post in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The three were called in to assist Hetchy rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows of in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: From left to right: U.S. Park Ranger Tim Raaf, Yosemite Public Safety Dispatcher Tess Morin, Yosemite Valley District Ranger Jack Hoeflich, and Contra Costa Search and Rescue volunteer Frank Moschetti work inside the ranger office and incident command post in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The crews were called in to assist Hetch Hetchy rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Crews work inside the ranger office and incident command post in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. Rangers and search and rescue teams are looking for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: A Southern California Winter Ski team prepares to take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park while U.S. Park Ranger Scott Nash stands watch. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Helitack crew member Andrew "Boots" Davenport briefs a Southern California Winter Ski team on flight safety and procedures before flying them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog teams take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog teams take off from a helipad in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Helitack crew member Andrew "Boots" Davenport (left) and U.S. Park Ranger Cathy Buckingham (right) check maps and communicate via radio with search and rescue teams before flying them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Helitack crew member Andrew "Boots" Davenport (far left) briefs Yosemite Search and Rescue teams on flight safety and procedures before flying them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The teams are assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: The Hetch Hetchy helipad and reservoir are seen in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. Rangers and search and rescue crews are searching for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Penny, a Yosemite Search and Rescue dog, runs across the helipad before boarding a helicopter that will take she and owner, Wayne Behrens, into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog team Wayne Behrens and Penny gear up to board a helicopter that will take them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dog team Wayne Behrens and Penny board a helicopter that will take them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: A Southern California Winter Ski team flies into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The team is assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Yosemite Search and Rescue dogs Penny (left) and Zinka (right) wait to board a helicopter that will take them into the wilderness in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. The dogs are part of a team assisting park rangers in the search for missing backpacker Alan Chow. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: U.S. Park Ranger Gary Bias (right) shows backpacker Alan Chow's brother Alex Chow (left) and cousin's wife Nancy Fong (center) a map of the area where crews searched for Chow. Chow was reunited with his family after being rescued by search and rescue teams on the fourth day of their search and Chow's sixth night in the wilderness. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. Chow became disoriented and while hiking after slipping and falling off trail and injuring his ankle, making him unable to hike out. Chow rationed his food and stayed dry inside his tent for nearly a week until search crews were able to spot NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Backpacker Alan Chow embraces his brother Alex Chow as his family looks on inside the Hetch Hetchy Ranger office. Chow was reunited with his family after being rescued by search and rescue teams on the fourth day of their search and Chow's sixth night in the wilderness. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. Chow became disoriented and while hiking after slipping and falling off trail and injuring his ankle, making him unable to hike out. Chow rationed his food and stayed dry inside his tent for nearly a week until search crews were able to spot him. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart
Yosemite National Park, Calif., Feb. 23, 2018: Backpacker Alan Chow embraces his brother Alex Chow as U.S. Park Ranger Brandon Penrose (far left) and family member Nancy Fong (right) look on. Chow was reunited with his family after being rescued by search and rescue teams on the fourth day of their search and Chow's sixth night in the wilderness. Chow was issued a wilderness permit at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 17 and was only planning to spend one night in the backcountry. He was last seen by a fellow hiker just east of Laurel Lake that Saturday. Crews have been searching an area of rugged and remote wilderness spanning roughly 80 square miles by foot, boat, and aircraft for four days and through extreme weather conditions, including a storm that brought several inches of snow and overnight lows in the teens to the Hetch Hetchy area. Approximately 60 crew members assisted in the search, which ended successfully on the fourth day when Chow was spotted by helicopter outside his tent. Chow became disoriented and while hiking after slipping and falling off trail and injuring his ankle, making him unable to hike out. Chow rationed his food and stayed dry inside his tent for nearly a week until search crews were able to spot him. NPS photo by Amanda Swinhart