June 20, 2025 25-330 #14

Backpacker Requesting Assistance at Alger Lakes At 0236 hours, the Team was called to assist a backpacker in the Alger Lakes area. A cold and windy weather pattern had struck the region, damaging the backpacker’s equipment and blowing away their sleeping bag during a midnight bathroom break.

Rescue Base was established at the Silver Lake boat launch, adjacent to the Rush Creek Trailhead. At 0358 hours, field team 1 deployed with a Hypothermia Management and Prevention Kit (HPMK), a first-out medical bag, and warm clothing. Team 2 was deployed at 0407 hours up the Rush Creek Trail to establish a radio relay.

Watching the sunrise along the climb from Silver Lake to Alger Lakes.

Team 1 reached the subject just after daybreak at 0722 hours and began standard patient assessments. The subject reported being uninjured but cold. She stated she had arrived at her location over the course of several days and was unaware of a quicker exit route. Team 1 and the subject began their return to rescue base, with all teams arriving together at 1130 hours.

Steady uphill grind.

Arriving at Alger Lakes early in the AM.

The Alger Lakes Trail

The operation was terminated at 1150 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Brownlee, Baron, Wilson, Kelly, Huizingh, Carlson, Creager, Salay

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

June 18, 2025 25-327 #13

Overdue Hikers on the Crystal Lake Trail At 1935 hours, the Team was called out to the Lakes Basin to assist in the search for an overdue 43-year-old mother and her 4-year-old daughter, last reported near the Crystal Lake Trail Cutoff. Rescue Base was established at Woods Lodge at Lake George. Just before the arrival of 19 MOSAR personnel, the subjects were located by their family.

The operation was terminated at 1952 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Bush Responders: ​​Anderson, Barker, Beck, Brownlee, Bush, Case, Cornelius, Cowan, Creager, Cucura, Gerber, Glessner, Haugh, Huizingh, Lipman, Salay, Senior, Trainor, Wallace

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

June 18, 25-326 #12

Injured Dogs at Gem Lake At 0846 hours, the Team was called to assist a party of five with three dogs located at the Gem Lake Dam. They reported that one of their dogs had sustained injuries to all four paw pads from traveling over talus and rough trail without protection, and they were unable to exit the backcountry without assistance. The Team was called out after careful deliberation, as it was determined that the situation met the threshold for potential harm to human life if they attempted to evacuate their injured dogs unassisted.

Rescue base was established at the Silver Lake boat launch. Rescue Operations deployed three field teams: a primary team of five, a second team of two, and a solo member to operate a radio relay. Team one carried a litter, wheel, and medical supplies for both the humans and the dogs. Teams two and three brought supplemental equipment.

The subjects were met at Gem Lake Dam, where it was determined that all three dogs required medical attention. After treatment, which included cleaning and bandaging wounds and applying booties to protect their pads, the dogs were able to begin walking out under their own power.

Special paw bandages for our canine subjects.

Bandaged up and ready to evacuate the area.

Roughly a mile from the outlet of Agnew, one of the dogs, the oldest at 12 years, required transport in the litter. After a long trek down, all field teams and subjects returned to base. The owners were advised to follow up with further veterinary care.

Pup on a litter ride!

Almost out.

The operation terminated at 1719 hours.

IC: Rhoads Acting Ops Leader: Quiring Responders: Buchanan, Arndt, Barker, Huizingh, Wallace, Kelly, Baron, Ackerman, Knight

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

June 16, 2025 25-324 #11

Snowboarder Fall in Solstice Couloir At 1210 hours, the Team was called to assist a 35-year-old male who had sustained life-threatening injuries after falling approximately 1,000 feet (300m) from the top of Solstice Couloir on the flanks of Mt. Dana, striking rocks during the descent. Rescue base was established at the Lee Vining Airport.

Rescue Operations requested CHP Helicopter H40 who accepted and responded from Fresno. Mono County Medic Unit 2 responded to rescue base, and also requested a CareFlight helicopter from Gardnerville, NV.

Rescue Operations assigned a team member to be inserted by helicopter. While weather conditions were clear, wind gusts at Lee Vining Airport were brisk, ranging from 10 to 15 knots. H40 flew over the subjects, a group of 3, en route to Lee Vining and reported stronger gusts up to 25 knots, confirming that a hoist-only rescue would be required.

Team one preparing to depart Lee Vining Airport

Operations assembled two additional teams: a two-person helicopter standby team and a two-person team to enter the field on foot via the Glacier Canyon Trailhead. Upon landing at Lee Vining, the H40 crew, the SAR Team, and Mono County Medic 2 worked together to strip weight from the aircraft.

Field team one was loaded with a first out trauma bag, an activated Hypothermia Prevention and Management Kit (HPMK), rope rescue and hoist gear, as well as H40’s breakaway litter and CMC Bauman Bag. A full-body vacuum splint was also loaded onto the aircraft but remained unused.

Due to worsening wind conditions, a “load-and-go” strategy was agreed upon with the flight crew and paramedics: if hoist-insertion was possible, the priority would be to rapidly package and extract the patient. Extended on-site treatment was deemed too risky given the potential for the helicopter to become grounded by wind.

The subject’s party near the toe of the Solstice Couloir as seen from CHP Helicopter H40.

After a turbulent approach and several passes through the canyon, team one was successfully hoisted in and made contact with the three-person party. Given the critical condition of the patient, team one delegated tasks to the other splitboarders to expedite the hoist.

One continued to support the patient mid-slope, while the other dug a platform for the litter and Bauman Bag, which were prepped in full. A rapid primary assessment was conducted using direct information from the uninjured subjects, and a brief medical report of critical was relayed to the flight paramedic and awaiting care team, including CareFlight.

Approximately 15 minutes after arrival, the patient was packaged and hoisted aboard. H40 transported the patient to Lee Vining Airport, where Mono County paramedics and a CareFlight flight nurse and paramedic personnel worked together to stabilize and then transfer him to Renown Medical Center, a level II trauma facility in Reno, NV. After the scene was cleared, team one descended on foot with the remaining subjects, receiving support halfway down from team two approching from Tioga Lake.

IC: Pelichowski, Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Buchanan, Lipman, Brownlee, Quiring, Romanova, Gerber, Huizingh, Anderson

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

June 14, 2025 25-315 #10

Mutual Aid with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for a Disoriented Hiker at Duck Lake Saturday, June 14th, 2025, 25-315, #10

At 1606 hours, the Team was called for a mutual aid request from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office regarding a 53-year-old male hiker of unknown status between Duck Lake and Pika Lake. The request came via satellite text-to-911, and few details were available. Rescue base was established at the Duck Pass Trailhead.

Rescue Operations deployed a hasty field team of three, including two Wilderness EMTs, equipped with medical gear and satellite communications, to proceed up the trail toward the subject to assess the situation. A second field team of two was deployed shortly after to clear the Emerald Lake Trail. Rescue Operations also requested assistance from CHP Helicopter H40, and H40 accepted the mission pending completion of another call.

Nearing Duck Pass

Subsequent phone pings showed no movement from the initial coordinates, and no additional follow-up information was received from the subject. Just as Team 1 crested Duck Pass from the Mono County side into Fresno County, H40 flew over the subject’s location, landed nearby, and made contact.

The subject reported departing Duck Pass Trailhead early that morning but became tired and chose to rest at camp. Upon waking, he was highly confused and disoriented, prompting the call for help. By the time help arrived, the subject’s disorientation had resolved, and he declined any further assistance.

H40 departed, and all field teams returned to base.

Descending the west side of Duck Pass

The operation was terminated at 2017 hours.

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Quiring, Lipman, Kaufman, Wallace, Huizingh, Cucura, Dickau, Zila

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

June 7, 2025 25-301 #9

Female Skier With Lower Leg Injury, Dana Couloir On Saturday, June 7th the Mono County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to assist a 22-year-old female skier with a lower leg injury near Dana Lake, at the bottom of the Dana Couloir. The Team was called out at 1458 hours shortly thereafter, and rescue base was established at the Lee Vining Airport.

CHP air operations were contacted, and helicopter H40 responded from Fresno. A hasty team of four personnel was deployed up Tioga Pass Road to the Glacier Canyon Trailhead. They began hiking up Glacier Canyon with medical gear, rigging equipment, and other rescue apparatus. A second field team was preparing to deploy with supplemental equipment. One team member was assigned to standby and assist with CHP H40's extraction if needed.

Hiking up Glacier Canyon on the way to Dana Lake.

H40 arrived above the subject near Dana Lake, identified a suitable landing zone nearby, and then flew to Lee Vining Airport to offload equipment. They returned to Dana Lake, picked up the subject, and flew her back to the airport. The subject declined further medical treatment.

CHP H40 overflying Glacier Canyon prior to subject extraction.

All team members were advised to return to base.

The operation terminated at 1857 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Dickau, Beck, Bush, Thompson, Salay, Barker, Tardy, Kaufman, Huizingh, Romanova, Irving-Ruffing, Creager, Cornelius, Wallace, Gerber, Senior

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

May 13-14, 2025 25-231 #8 Mutual Aid Esmeralda County, NV

Distressed Hiker in the Morris Creek Drainage, White Mountains. On Tuesday evening at 1930 hours, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office received a mutual aid request from neighboring Esmeralda County, NV, for a hiker in distress in the Morris Creek drainage off the 13,147-foot Boundary Peak. At 2004 hours the Team was called out after a 45-year-old hiker made a 911 call and reported that they had lost the trail after departing the summit, around the area of the Trail Canyon Saddle.

The hiker was in very complex terrain at an elevation above 10,000 feet and was not prepared to spend the night out. The subject reported being cold, wet, and disoriented. Given the unknown terrain, Rescue Operations advised the hiker to stay put. A cold weather band was moving through the area throughout the day, bringing snow and high winds, with the temperature hovering around 10˚F.

MOSAR rescue vehicle at rescue base.

Rescue Base was established at the intersection of Queen Canyon Road and US Highway 6. The Team deployed from Mono County with rescue vehicles, including one of our off-road vehicles, Ranger 1.

Rescue Operations tasked a team of four—a high team—to attempt access from the upper trail, similar to the subject’s suspected entry. Another team of four—a low team—was tasked with making entry from the base of the Morris Creek drainage. Both teams carried team medical equipment, cold weather gear, and technical rope rescue equipment.

Planning the best route to reach the subject.

As the high team departed in the Ranger, Rescue Operations reported that the subject’s location had moved considerably further down the canyon since the last 911 call. The high team was rerouted to the base of the Morris Creek Drainage to begin their ascent.

The low team continued up the road to the base of the drainage with Rescue 2, standing by. The high team made slow progress upward through thorny thickets, eventually making contact with the hiker approximately 0.5 miles up the drainage.

Field team in the Morris Creek drainage.

Field team in the Morris Creek drainage.

Field team in the Morris Creek drainage.

The subject reported that as darkness approached and the cold deepened, he feared for his life and decided to continue descending through the unknown terrain. He was not injured and required no assistance to exit the canyon. The team drove the subject to the Queen Canyon trailhead to retrieve his vehicle.

The operation was terminated at 0200 hours on Wednesday morning, May 14.

May 12-13, 2025 25-227 #7

Stranded Hiker Below Donohue Pass. On Monday, May 12th at 1358 hours the Team was called for a lost PCT hiker in the vicinity of Donohue Pass via a 911 call. The 50-year-old male reported that he was on the PCT and had been navigating by alternating between traveling with other parties and following the footsteps of other parties ahead of him in the snow.

When he called 911, the subject was approximately 1.5 trail miles from the pass at an elevation of 10,700 feet. He was traveling alone and had lost track of the footprints in the snow ahead of him. The subject reported having minimal overnight or cold-weather gear and no topographic map.

He was advised by the SAR Coordinator to shelter in place while the team mounted a rescue. Rescue base was established at the Rush Creek Trailhead. Aiming to beat the worst of the incoming winter storm, Rescue Operations deployed a team of four on foot up the Rush Creek Trail with overnight and medical equipment.

Overlooking Agnew Lake from the Rush Creek Trail

This effort was supported by two additional team members who shuttled gear up the trail for the overnight team. Air resources were unavailable due to a combination of high winds, darkness, and intermittent snow.

First view of Gem Lake from the Rush Creek Trail

Looking back at Agnew Lake from near Gem Lake

The team of four split early on into two teams and continued their trek toward the subject through mixed terrain, high-flow water crossings, adverse weather, and rotten snow. Team 1A reached the subject at 2255 hours and assisted him in packing up camp and beginning a retreat from the backcountry.

Team 1A reunited with Team 1B at Waugh Lake and the team members and subject slept for a few hours before resuming their exit at sunrise. At dawn, two additional field teams were dispatched from the trailhead to meet the outgoing crew and provide assistance with their heavy overnight packs.

All exited the backcountry without further incident, and the operation was terminated at 1044 on Tuesday, May 13th.

May 10, 2025 25-223 #6

Fallen Skier in Bloody Couloir. On Saturday, May 10th, at 12:05, the team was called out for an injured 38-year-old female skier who had a reported 800 foot fall in Bloody Couloir on Bloody Mountain. The skier came to rest at an elevation of approximately 11,700 feet.

Rescue base was established at the bottom of Laurel Lakes Road, at the intersection with Sherwin Creek Road. Rescue operations requested a CHP helicopter, and our friends at CHP - Central Division Air Operations H42 accepted the mission.

Fortuitously, a team member was in the party with the injured skier, which aided tremendously in mission planning, execution, and patient care. Working with our team member in the field by cellphone, multiple action plans were developed and executed.

A team of five deployed from the bottom of Laurel Lakes Road in Ranger One for bottom-up access, while a team of three gathered at Mammoth Airport to await the arriving helicopter for possible insertion or top-down access. Both teams carried similar equipment: ski gear, medical supplies, and technical rope rescue equipment.

A portion of the bottom-up ground team on the hike in.

2 of our 3 team members at Mammoth-Yosemite Airport prepared for possible helicopter insertion.

H42 conducted a reconnaissance flight upon arrival at the scene, then proceeded to Mammoth Airport to offload gear and reduce weight. Operations pivoted to utilizing the team member in the field to assist in hoist operations. H42 offloaded equipment, prepared their screamer suit and a radio to be inserted to our team member, and returned to the incident location.

CHP H42 assessing conditions prior to hoisting the subject from the couloir.

CHP H42 hoisting the subject from the couloir.

The CHP crew lowered the screamer suit and a radio to the team member, who packaged the subject and aided in the hoist rescue. The subject was transported to Mammoth Airport, and then to Mammoth Hospital in a private vehicle. She is reported to be in stable condition. We wish the skier a speedy recovery.

IC: Belcher   Ops Leader: Beck   Responders: Tardy, Huizingh, Creager, Lipman, Barker, Arndt, Baron, Haugh, Glessner, Wallace, Anderson, Buchanan, Senior, Trainor, Carlson, Brownlee, Salay, Romanova, Pavlovsky, Irving-Ruffing

April 20, 2025 25-181 #5

Fallen Skier Below the Cleaver. At 1626 hours the Team was activated for a skier with a reported leg injury below the Cleaver. Rescue Base was established at Mono Village at the end of Twin Lakes, Bridgeport. The Sheriff’s Office requested a CHP - Central Division Air Operations helicopter out of Fresno, and shortly thereafter, H42 accepted the mission and flew towards the incident location.

As the team prepared personnel and equipment at Rescue Base for both helicopter insertion and entry on foot, H42 located the subjects at 10,400’ and relayed a hopeful hoist rescue plan with Rescue Operations. They landed close to Rescue Base and the Team aided in offloading equipment and remained at the ready.

Lighter and more nimble, H42 and its crew returned to the subject’s location and were successful in hoisting the injured skier. They flew back to Rescue Base where the subject was evaluated as the ship was repacked. H42 then flew to Bryant Field in Bridgeport to transfer the subject to Mono County Medic 7, refuel, and depart to Fresno.

H42 on the beach at Upper Twin Lake

IC: Belcher Ops: Haugh Responders: Huizingh, Creager, Brownlee, Blackman, Leyen, Romanova, Gerber, Dickau, Kelly, Carlson, Beck, Case

April 11, 2025 25-161 #4

Party of Two Cliffed Out at Casa Diablo

On Friday, April 11 at 1844, the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call for assistance from two hikers from Mammoth Lakes reported to be cliffed out near the summit of Casa Diablo mountain, and unable to descend.

They were reported to be unprepared to be out overnight. The Team was dispatched shortly thereafter, and Rescue Base was established via CalTopo at the junction of Casa Diablo Road and Forest Road 4S133C. The team responded to Base with rescue vehicles and team equipment.

A hasty team (including a Team wilderness EMT), Team 1, was deployed with medical equipment and personal rigging equipment. Two additional teams, Teams 2 and 3, were deployed shortly thereafter, consisting of 6 team members with additional rescue and rigging equipment.

A field team making their way toward the subjects as night falls.

Due to nightfall and the nature of the challenging terrain, including convoluted 4th and 5th class boulder fields, movement to the subjects' mapped location was more slow and tedious than expected. Eventually, after thorough searching and navigating, contact was made with both subjects, who were in somewhat different positions than originally reported, and were themselves separated by 5th class terrain. Team 1 and Team 3 joined up at Subject 1’s location, and Team 2 met Subject 2.

Travel was difficult through varied terrain after dark.

The subjects’ conditions were reported as stable, with minor injuries to Subject 2 from a fall. Both subjects were assessed and treated. Shortly thereafter, rescuers began to construct an exit strategy down through the boulder fields. While a 3rd class route exists on this mountain, accessing that route from the subjects’ location would have presented some unique challenges, so the teams opted to instead descend from the location of the subjects.

Reuniting the teams required an initial technical lower of Subject 2 down 5th class terrain. After the first lower, all teams and subjects were joined and began a group descent. The unified field team worked with our subjects to navigate the consequential terrain, utilizing rope systems and attended belays through areas of 4th and 5th class access. After several hours of navigating the boulder fields in the dark, the field team and both subjects arrived back at Rescue Base in the early hours of Saturday morning. The subjects declined further medical treatment and were driven back to their vehicle.

The operation concluded at approximately 0306 Saturday morning, and Team members received a few hours of sleep before reporting back to SAR HQ at 0800 for the start of our new candidate basic training.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Anderson, Beck, Brownlee, Haugh, Kaufman, Knight, Lipman, Mayernick, Patterson, Romanova, Salay, Wilson

February 16, 2025 25-081 #3

Stuck Snowmobiles Near the Sawmill Cutoff. While the Team was conducting a rescue operation in the Devils Punchbowl area, another call for assistance was received.  A party of 4, including a 4-year-old juvenile, were riding snowmobiles on the B Trail which follows the Sawmill Cut Off road. Their ride was interruped by a downed tree across the trail.  They attempted to go around but became stuck in deep unconsolidated snow. 

The responders staged at the Shady Rest Sports Complex.  Using the SMS feature on Caltopo the responders were able to acquire the coordinates of the stranded party.  A field team of 4 departed the staging area on snowmobiles towing the Rescueboggan and quickly located the subjects.  The field team was able to transport all 4 subjects back to the staging area at Shady Rest.  The call was terminated at 1821 hours. 

IC: Rhoads   Ops Leader: Haugh   Responders:  Gerber, Senior, Carlson, Lipman, Mayernick, Kelly, Cowan.


February 16, 2025 25-080 #2

Stuck Snowmobiles Near the Devils Punchbowl. At 1450 hours the Team was called to assist with a 68-year-old male snowmobile rider and a 68-year-old-female snowmobile rider who were stranded near the Devils Punchbowl.  The subjects had become exhausted riding in deep snow and were unable to continue. 

The Team staged at the South June Lake Junction and a field team of 3 on a personal snowmobile and the tracked Polaris Ranger responded to the subject location.  The field team was able to assist the subjects with their sleds, and they followed the field team back to Rescue Base.  

The female subject was driven to her vehicle, and she returned to pick up the male subject and the snowmobiles.  While this call was in progress the Team received another request for assistance in the Shady Rest area.  Both calls were concluded at 1821 hours.

IC: Rhoads  Ops Leader: Haugh  Responders: Gerber, Carlson, Senior, Cowan, Lipman, Kelly, Mayernick

January 3, 2025 25-004 #1

Mutual Aid Inyo County, Missing Hiker/Climber on Mt. Whitney. On January 2 2025, the Inyo County Sheriff's Office requested mutual aid assistance in the search for a 29-year-old male reported as missing/overdue on a possible Mt. Whitney summit attempt. 

The subject was reported to have begun his summit attempt on December 30 and Inyo SAR began the search on January 2 concentrating on the area in the vicinity of the 11-mile Mt. Whitney trail from the Portal to Trail Crest with an aerial search using Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System Program (FIRIS) aircraft and ground teams.

Wind and weather conditons were not conducive to flight operations and personnel insertions in the North Fork Lone Pine Creek drainage (access to the Mountaineers Route and technical routes on the east face of Mt. Whitney). FIRIS flew on January 3 as well.

Eight team members from MOSAR responded to the Inyo SAR facility in Bishop at 0700 on January 4 to join the Inyo SAR briefing on search area conditions and field assignments for the day.  7 field teams were assigned search areas, with an Inyo SAR member assigned to each team as a team lead.  MOSAR personnel were assigned search areas near Iceberg Lake, Upper Boy Scout Lake, and Lower Boy Scout Lake, and were flown by an Army Air Guard CH-47F Chinook (call sign Schooner 69) from Bishop to Lone Pine to pick up members of China Lake SAR.

Schooner 69 at the Bishop airport prior to boarding.

SAR teams loaded and on the way to Lone Pine to pick up additional teams.

From Lone Pine, Schooner 69 flew to Upper Boyscout Lake to drop off 2 field teams (10 personnel), then to Lower Boyscout Lake to drop 1 more team (4 personnel), and then to Iceberg Lake to drop the last team of 5.  Schooner 69 returned to Bishop for fuel, then repositioned to Lone Pine to prepare for later personnel extractions.

The view of the Whitney Crest as the aircraft approached the first LZ. Image by J. Lipman

The landing zone (LZ) at Upper Boyscout Lake at approximately 11,300’ MSL.

2 field teams that disembarked at Upper Boyscout Lake, waiting for Schooner 69 to depart.

The field teams began to execute their search areas and after several hours the field team in the Upper Boyscout Lake search area located the search subject between the lake and Sakai Col at the base of the ridge dividing the Upper Boy Scout Lake drainage and the Iceberg Lake drainage at approximately 12,000' MSL.  The subject was deceased and a cause of death has yet to be determined.

The Upper Boy Scout Lake search area.

Due to the lateness of the day, Inyo SAR leadership elected to recover the remains the following day (Sunday, January 5) with assistance from California Highway Patrol Helicopter H80 from Apple Valley as they were expecting improving weather and wind conditions on the 5th.  The field teams from Iceberg Lake, Upper Boyscout Lake, and the search area between convened at Upper Boy Scout Lake, and Schooner 69 loaded them and transported all personnel to the Lone Pine airport.

Departing the Upper Boy Scout Lake LZ for landing in Lone Pine.

IC: Inyo Sheriff's Office  Ops Leader: Inyo SAR  Responders:  Lipman, Kelly, Brownlee, Anderson, Quiring, Bush, Huizingh, Beck

October 12, 2024 2024-584 #40

Vehicle Over the Edge On 120 West Tioga Pass. At 0025 hours the Team was called to assist with a vehicle over the side of 120 West Tioga Road approximately 200 feet below the road.  The location was approximately 150’ from the vehicle accident on September 27. The vehicle had 1 occupant, and surprisingly his injuries were minor. 

Lee Vining Fire was first on scene, and they verified the condition of the subject, and then built a belay system to lower a rescuer down to the vehicle location, and then transitioned to a raise to assist the rescuer and the subject up the steep slope. The subject was able to walk up the slope with the assist from the rope system. 

When the first personnel from MOSAR arrived, the raise was already underway, and the subject arrived at the roadside soon after.  The subject did not require medical attention.  The operation was terminated at 0110 hours.

Subject and rescuer nearing the Tioga Road. Image by B. Beck

IC: Belcher  Ops Leader: Beck   Responders: Kaufman, Quiring, Leyen, Kelly, Torrence, Brownlee, Wallace, Patterson, Buchanan

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue

September 29, 2024 2024-552 #39

Overdue Climbers, Incredible Hulk. At 1440  hours the Team was called to assist in locating a 39-year-old female and a 42-year-old male who were overdue from an outing to climb the Red Dihedral on the Incredible Hulk in Little Slide Canyon.  The Team staged at Mono Village near Twin Lakes, Bridgeport and established search base. 

CHP helicopter H42 was requested, and they accepted the mission.  A field team of 2 was assigned to hike to the base of the Hulk to search the wall with field optics, but a short distance up the trail they encountered the female subject, and the male a short time later.  The subjects were escorted back to search base in good condition, though the male member of the pair reported being exhausted.  CHP H42 was cancelled, and the operation was terminated at 1800 hours,

Escorting one of our subjects back to the trailhead. Image by J. Lipman

IC: Pelichowski   Ops Leader: Bush  Responders: Leyen, Mayernick, Lipman, Case, Haugh, Huizingh, Kaufman, Kelly, Senior, Torrence

On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue