cost of yosemite helicopter rescue

Who Pays for Rescues?

The taxpayer does; the NPS does not charge for the cost of rescues, except for any ambulance services required.This is true even if you are fined by the courts for negligence, which is a separate charge altogether (see below). But rescues can be expensive and what the future holds is anybody’s guess. The NPS is examining the possibility of charging all victims for the full cost of their rescues, and partial costs are charged in some parks now. This issue is complex, but it is clear that responsible behavior by those who use the park will minimize the threat.

RISK, RESPONSIBILITY, and the LIMITS to CLIMBING

The NPS has no regulations specifying how you must climb. There is one regulation, however, requiring that all park users act responsibly. This applies to climbers, in that the consequences of your actions put rescuers and other climbers at risk. One rescuer has been killed in the park, so far. Thus, if your own negligence got you in trouble, you may be charged with “creating a hazardous condition” for others. As an example, a climber was fined because he became stranded by a hailstorm while attempting to free-solo the Steck-Salathé on Sentinel Rock. Storms had been predicted, and his rescue should not have been necessary.

unless it was determined that the climbers involved had been negligent

Met a hiker who suffered a badly broken leg up by Vogelsang and her
medevac bill was $41K! You could rent a Gulfstream for 5 hours for that!