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Yosemite Rangers Make Daring Rescue On El Capitan

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (CBS / AP) -- A Canadian climber is recuperating from a mild case of hypothermia after being stranded in a snow storm on the largest granite monolith in the world.

Authorities say the 40-year-old climber was near the summit of Yosemite National Park's El Capitan Sunday night when his rope became stuck as the first winter snowstorm of the season hit the Sierra Nevada. His climbing partners already were at the 7,569-foot summit.

The man, whose name has not been released, could not deploy a rainfly over his hanging tent system to deflect the rain and snow. Temperatures were in the 20s and the area received four to six inches of snow.

Park rangers hiked to the summit Monday and lowered one to rescue the climber. After hauling him up, the group hiked out. The climber was hospitalized.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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