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Extraordinary moment Yosemite hikers form human chain to rescue climber hanging on for her life over the rocky, jagged edge of infamous trail
A hiker slipped near the lower section of Half Dome’s cables in Yosemite on 12 October and slid down a rock face, stopping on a ledge. Bystanders, including 20-year-old Ian Moran and his father Brian, helped rescue her and her fiancé, who had also become stranded; the incident highlights the risks on the steep trail and how hikers’ quick cooperation can help in an emergency.
Ian climbed towards the couple and urged them to stay calm, while other hikers gathered ropes, slings and carabiners to make a safety line. After about ten minutes, a group formed a human chain along the cables. Ian helped pull the fiancé to safety, and a US Air Force veteran, David Morgenstern, helped rescue the woman before calling 911.
In short
- A hiker slipped and became stranded on a ledge at Yosemite’s Half Dome.
- Bystanders used climbing gear and a human chain to reach the couple.
- Both the woman and her fiancé were rescued.