Remembering My Friend “Yosemite Sam”

“Yosemite Sam,” Schuff Steel’s safety manager, was my escort while on the 16th floor photographing the topping off ceremony. In this photo, Sam Poses, for the camera on the 16th floor of the Adult Hospital tower. I was very grateful for his assistance as he helped position some of my camera equipment.

Samuel “Yosemite Sam” Maracle

1971 – 2019

Updated and Edited on December 5, 2019; December 6, 2019

On December 3, 2019, I learned that “Yosemite Sam,” one of the safety managers for Schuff Steel, had passed away Wednesday, November 27, 2019. From reports, Sam was driving on Havasu Lake Road near Lake Havasu, California, when he lost control of his truck, and it rolled. Sam was returning home when the accident occurred.

I remember Sam as an affable fellow. He always greeted me with a smile and a quip. Ever since Schuff Steel arrived on-site, I looked to Sam for guidance as I made my way around the steel. I learned to get his permission before getting close to the project of the day. Some days he would say: “not now, later, or I’ll lead you.” Then there were times when I asked, and Sam would reply: “Go ahead, but be careful!
There will be two specific memories of Sam that I will remember from this project. The first was on December 11, 2018, before the topping off ceremony was to occur. I wanted very badly to go up to the 16th floor where I could get a proper angle of the signature beam as it rose high above the Adult Hospital tower. From there, the crane operator was to swing the signature beam across the midpoint of the tower and lower it onto two columns supporting the ramp that connected the helicopter pad to the elevator tower. Knowing that the 16th floor was still in its early stages of being secured, I approached Sam with a great deal of trepidation. He was standing there alone, with hands in his pockets, in the shadows of the towers. Upon explaining what I wanted to do, he looked up at me and winked. While chewing on a toothpick, he paused. Finally, he said: “Tell you what, you meet me at the east lift at two o’clock, and we will go up there together. Remember, you must stick close as you follow me.”

The second occurrence happened a few months ago. A crew from Schuff Steel had arrived on-site to set the steel for the Schuman Pavilion elevator tower, the Schuman Pavilion pedestrian bridge, and the west pedestrian bridge. Foreman Chuck was one of the first, I recognized. The next day, I ran into Sergio, the welding foreman, and Yosemite Sam, the safety manager. It was like a homecoming. They had been on site for over a year as the steel rose out of the pit. One day, I approached Sam about going over to the Schuman Pavilion elevator site, where the crew was hanging the steel. He looked at me and said: “Dennis, by now, I think you know the drill. Go and be careful, and for g____h sakes, stay out of the way.”

I remember the last time I saw Sam. The crew had finished for the day, and he was standing against one of Schuff’s trucks in front of the Schuff Steel shack on the north side of the Adult Hospital tower. He was jawing and laughing with a few of the steelworkers. Suddenly, one of them saw me and my camera and yelled out: “Here comes the paparazzi.” Sam laughed and said: “Let him take your picture, then you will be famous like me.”

I remember the last time I saw Sam. He was standing near his truck in front of the Schuff Steel shack on the north side of the Adult Hospital tower. Sam was leaning up against the back of the truck jawing with a few of the steelworkers. One of them saw me and my camera and yelled out: “Here comes the paparazzi.” Sam laughed and said: “Let him take your picture, then you will be famous like me.”

I agree with Jack, one of the assistant job superintendents, who remembered Sam with one word: “Awesome.” Indeed, Sam was an awesome, kindhearted fellow and it was a privilege to have known him and call him a friend. He will be missed!

“Yosemite Sam” at Work

August 30, 2017, Our First Meeting

The first time I met “Yosemite Sam” was August 30, 2017. That was the day when the “Crawler Crew” arrived on-site to relocate the Liebherr LR 13000 Crawler Crane from its station on the north yard to the south side of the pit. This day would be exciting in that I had a scheme to photograph the crane from the undercarriage with a GoPro as it moved off the platform. Having performed that task, I began to follow and film the crane as it slowly moved from the north yard and around the northeast corner of the pit. With my eye glued to camera viewfinder, the crane lumbered up the asphalt ramp to the service road on the southeast side of the pit. From out of nowhere, I heard a seemingly gruff voice from behind and to the right. “Slow down …move to your left…I don’t want you to get hurt.” After I followed the command, I stopped to see who was giving me directions. About ten steps behind someone was making his way up the ramp. As he passed by me, he grumbled: “Watch where you’re going.” He was walking slow enough for me to notice the name on his hardhat: “Yosemite Sam.” At the time, I was doing a feature post on the unique hardhats on site. https://docuvision2020.com/index.php/2017/11/06/hard-hats-everybody-has-to-wear-one/ I called out: “Sir, may I ask you a question?” He stopped, and as my 6 ft 3-inch frame approached, he looked up, perhaps wondering what I might say. I introduced myself and asked him if I might take a photo of his hat to add to the feature. He readily agreed. After capturing the image, we shook hands, and as I held back, Sam continued up the ramp.

On October 8, 2019, I was on the second floor photographing the steelworkers as they began to hang the beams on the west side pedestrian bridge columns, which had been set the previous day. After reviewing the images, I found that four of the photos featured Sam in his role as a safety manager. With hands in his pockets (a familiar pose), you will notice Sam, whose eyes are fixed on man and steel. Behind his safety shades, he intently watches as the steelworkers reach for the steel as it is carefully lowered closer and closer toward its intended target. In the first three images, Sam is seen at the right. In the last photo, he is standing on the left between the steel.

Sam Walks in the Direction of the Alpenglow

Responses From Visitors

December 5, 2019:

“My condolences to the family of Yosemite Sam.” — Art D.; San Diego