Updated to include the most notable incidents through the summer of 2004, the new edition features recent rescues and rescue attempts from the icy slopes of Mount Rainier to the seas off of Acadia National Park.

375 exciting tales of heroism and tragedy drawn from the nearly 150,000 search and rescue missions carried out by the National Park Service since 1872.

375 exciting teales of heroism and tragedy drawn from the nearly 150,000 search and rescue missions carried out by the National Park Service since 1872.

From the early years of Western Expansion to the present day, our history is marked by the heroic exploits of the rescuer and the rescued in some of the most daunting geographic, meteorological, and otherwise life-threatening challenges. "First responders" have variously been members of law enforcement to ordinary good samaritans

With its towering mountains, sun-scorched deserts, fierce wildlife, and hard-to-predict weather, the American West ranks among the most forbidding places on Earth. Yet many are drawn to the beauty of this wild and rugged region. Some are daredevils. . .some are athletes. . .and some are outdoors enthusiasts who find