Chief Park Ranger Forest Sanford Townsley

Forest Sanford Townsley

Chief Park Ranger Forest Townsley suffered a fatal heart attack while on a backcountry patrol in Yosemite National Park.

He was traveling by horse from Tuolumne Meadows to Devil's Postpile National Monument when he received word that other rangers had received clues regarding a lost park visitor. Chief Ranger Townsley changed his plans and began toward Merced Lake via Vogelsang. At the next telephone station, he received word that the information was not reliable but that the ranger to whom he was speaking was going to join him to continue his patrol.

Chief Ranger Townsley stopped at Fletcher Lake to await the other ranger to continue the backcountry patrol. While there, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Chief Park Ranger Townsley had served with the National Park Service for 40 years. He was survived by his wife and five children.