April 9, 2024 2024-156 #11

At 1226 hours the Team was called to assist a 57-year-old female skier with a reported leg fracture in the Red Cone Bowl area. Rescue Base was established at the Lake Mary Road winter closure. The reporting party was a Mono SAR member recreating in the area. CHP helicopter H42 was requested and accepted the mission.

Field teams were transported via snowmobile and tracked Ranger to the Horseshoe Lake trailhead, and then traveled over snow with skis and splitboards to the subject location below the Mammoth Crest near Crystal Lake.

The subject was treated and packaged, and then hoisted by CHP helicopter H42 who transported the subject to the Mammoth-Yosemite Airport. The subject was then transferred to the care of Mono County Medic Unit 3. The operation was terminated at 1711 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Quiring, Buchanan, Thompson, Salay, Brownlee, Anderson, Carlson, Zila

April 7, 2024 2024-154 #10

At 1949 hours the Team was called to assist in a search for an overdue 41-year-old male snowboarder last seen in the vicinity of the Hemlocks area. Search Base was established at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA) Main Lodge. Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol (MMSP) was actively engaged in the search at the time of the Team’s arrival.

Search Base at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Main Lodge. Image by J. Haugh

Three field teams left Main Lodge on snowmobiles and tracked Polaris Ranger and were recalled shortly after when the subject contacted MMSP to indicate that he was back in the ski area boundary and was riding his snowboard back to Main Lodge. The operation was terminated at 2145 hours.

Search Base at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Main Lodge. Image by J. Haugh

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Quiring, Kaufman, Anderson, Beck, Brownlee, Carlson, Gerber, Salay

March 27, 2024 2024-129 #9

At 1339 hours the Team was called to assist a hiker who reported himself to be in terrain that he did not feel comfortable traveling in. The Team began response to Rescue Base at the Convict Lake Marina, but prior to any field team deployment Long Valley Fire located the subject and assisted him from the terrain.

The call was terminated at 1442 hours.

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Kaufman, Childers, Anderson, Salay, Wilson

March 25, 2024 2024-127 #8

At 1608 hours the Team was called to assist a 17-year-old female subject with a reported femur fracture near Peak 2580 in the Deadman Creek area west of Highway 395.

The Team established Rescue Base at the Obsidian Dome winter-use parking area, but prior to deployment of field teams June Lake Fire was able to reach, treat, package, and extract the subject.

The operation was terminated at 1712 hours

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Anderson, Beck, Brownlee, Gerber, Huizingh, Kaufman, Lipman, Mayernick, Salay, Cucura, Romanova, Burnett, Childers, Irving-Ruffing, Davison

March 24, 2024 2024-126 #7

At 1544 hours the Team was called to assist a skier who was reportedly trapped in an avalanche and separated from his partner in the Negatives area off of San Joaquin Ridge. The Team responded to the June Mountain Ski Area (JMSA) parking lot and learned that June Mountain Ski Patrol was on the way to the scene on snowmobiles.

A field team left JMSA base in the tracked Polaris Ranger to stage at the JMSA Mid-Chalet. Other team members remained on standby in the parking lot. The subject was located and extracted from the scene by ski patrol, and transported to the JMSA parking lot. The field team returned to base and the operation was terminated at 1822 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Anderson, Bush, Beck, Patterson, Senior, Kaufman, Brownlee, Mayernick, Lipman, Salay, Romanova, Gerber, Buchanan

March 3, 2024 2024-085 #6

At 1812 hours the Team was called to assist with 3 stuck vehicles including 6 stranded motorists on the east side of Crowley Lake on the unpaved section of Owens Gorge Road. Rescue base was established at the intersection of Benton Crossing Road and Owens Gorge Road.

A field team of 6 snowmobiles and the Rescueboggan went in search of the stuck vehicles. When located, the subjects were transported to Rescue Base in good condition. The field team then searched Owens Gorge Road all the way back to the Crowley Dam, but found no more motorists that required assistance.

The operation terminated at 2331 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Huizingh, Anderson, Davison, Brownlee, Quiring, Kaufman, Salay

February 9, 2024 2024-051 #5

At 1734 hours the Team was called to assist locating an overdue 19-year-old male snowboarder thought to have been in the Hemlocks area on the backside of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA) in Madera County. The Team staged at MMSA Main Lodge.

MMSA ski patrol had initiated the search earlier in the day before the Team responded. Three MOSAR field teams on snowmobiles accessed the search area via Highway 203 past Minaret Summit and down toward Devils Postpile National Monument.

MOSAR acquired voice contact and with the subject and he was soon thereafter located on a steep escarpment south of Starkweather Lake. MOSAR team members climbed to the location, and initiated a technical lower to transport the subject to the groomed road. MOSAR transported the subject to the MMSA Main Lodge via Rescueboggan towed by a snowmobile. The operation was terminated at 2233 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Kaufman, Romanova, Anderson, Quiring, Torrence, Brownlee, Lipman, Senior.

February 4-5 2024-### #4

At approximately 2320 hours the Team was called to assist a stranded/stuck traveler in the Chidago Canyon area during a snow storm. The traveler was able to extricate themselves prior to the arrival of the Team at the command post. The operation was terminated at approximately 0130 hours on February 5.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Haugh Responders” Baron, Quiring, Kaufman

February 4, 2024 24-041 #3

At 1909 hours the Team was called to assist travelers who had become stranded/stuck in a snow storm on the Upper Owens River Road. The Team staged at the 395/Upper Owens River Road intersection and used snowmobiles to access and extricate the 5 subjects. Tha call terminated at 2320 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Gerber, Baron, Anderson, Kaufman, Quiring

February 4, 2024 24-040 #2

At 1820 hours the Team was called to assist 2 travelers who had been driving up the Little Walker River Road in deep snow. The vehicle slid into a ditch, and the occupants were unable to extricate, and called for assistance.

The Team staged at the 395/Little Walker River Road intersection, and a team of 2 snowmobiles departed the staging area, and quickly located the stuck vehicle. The occupants had arranged for a tow the following morning, and had decided to camp for the night in their vehicle. The field team returned to base, and the operation was terminated at 2037 hours.

IC: Hamilton Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Kelly, Dickau

January 19, 2024 24-020 #1

At 1852 hours the Team was called to assist Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol (MMSP) with a snowboarder who was stuck above the Hole in the Wall cliffs west of Twin Lakes Mammoth. MMSP had already located the subject, and was in the process of conducting a rescue, and the Team was asked to standby at the Ski Patrol summit station.

MOSAR on standby to assisst Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol on the summit of Mammoth Mountain

MMSP was able to complete the extraction unassisted, and the Team was released. The operation was terminated at 2232 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Senior, Brownlee, Anderson, Lipman, Mayernick, Thompson, Quiring, Kaufman

December 12, 2023 23-585 #31

At approximately 1100 hours the Team commenced an evidence search in conjunction with the Washoe County (Nevada) Sheriff’s Office, who had requested assistance through the Mono County Sheriff’s Office. The search took place beneath the Conway Summit overlook on the 395 between Bridgeport and Mono City..

The search concluded at 1515 hours but the materials sought by Washoe County were not located.

IC: Pelichowsky (with Washoe County) Responders: Huizingh, Hunsinger, Kaufman, Buchanan, Salay, Wallace, Quiring, Kelley

October 22-23, 2023 23-518 #30

At 1710 hours the Team was called to assist in locating 3 male hikers separated on the West Ridge of White Mountain Peak. The reporting party stated that they had summited White Mountain Peak from their camp at approximately 5,500’ just above the White Mountain Ranch Road at the base of the West Ridge, and chose a different descent route on which they became separated. The reporting party reported the situation on his mobile phone which shortly thereafter failed due to a low state of charge in the battery.

Search base was established on White Mountain Ranch Road, and a field team was able to find their vehicle and base camp, and verify that no one had yet returned. The California Office of Emergency Services (OES) provided a fixed—wing King Air aircraft equipped with Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) which uses a high-definition infrared camera system to detect heat. Designed primarily for tracking wildfires, it is sensitve enough to pick up heat signatures from individual large mammals, and can search large areas quickly. However, due to unfavorable weather conditions, FIRIS was unable to locate the subjects.

Overnight the subjects were able to regroup and use a mobile phone from another party member to contact the Sheriff’s Office, and the phone’s GPS locator provided the coordinates of their location. The group also reported that they were in a precarious position and did not feel they could continue their descent.

Heading up Millner Creek Canyon. Image by J. Lipman

Near the end of the road. Image by J. Lipman

In Millner Creek Canyon. Image by J. Lipman

The party was advised to maintain their position, and a field team drove up Millner Creek Canyon in a Polaris Ranger 6-wheel drive vehicle. At the termination of the road, the field team hiked a short distance ond made visual contact with the subjects. The field team hiked to their position and escorted them down the slope. The field team returned to base and the subjects were transported to their vehicle. The operation terminated at 1159 hours.

Almost out. Image by J. Lipman

IC: Belcher, Pelichowski, Rhoads Ops Leader: Patterson, Beck, Haough Responders: Cucura, Buchanan, Kelly, Wilson, Lipman

October 21, 2023 23-512 #29

At 1100 hours the Team was called to assist with a Garmin Inreach activation in the White Mountains on the eastern edge of Mono County. Rescue base was established at the intersection of Joe Smith and Silver Creek Canyon Road. The subject of the call was a 75-year-old solo male hunter.

Rescue base. Image by J. Lipman

A field team of 5 left rescue base in the Polaris Ranger 6-wheel drive and proceeded directly up the steep and committing Silver Creek Canyon Road. The subject was located, and it was determined that the Inreach activation was inadvertant, and the subject required no assistance. The subject was advised to purchase a modern PLB unit for his future adventures. The operation terminated at 1557 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Patterson, Buchanan, Salay, Baron, Haugh, Wilson, Lipman

October 20, 2023 23-511 #28

On September 30 there was a SAR incident in Madera County that involved a Naval Air Station Lemoore Blackhawk helicopter that was rendered inoperable by failure to maintain adequate separation from the terrain.

The military informed Madera County that they were bringing a larger helicopter to recover the first, and Madera requested a field team from MOSAR to standby during the recovery operation in case of a mishap.

No mishap occurred, and the disabled aircraft was roughly disassembled and ferried to the Mammoth Airport in 3 trips.

IC: Gillespie Responders: Beck, Bush, Buchanan, Kelly, Haugh

October 19, 2023 23-### #27

At 1118 hours Inyo County requested assistance with a search for an overdue hiker/scrambler on the north side of Mt. Whitney for the following day with an early morning start from the Inyo SAR station in Bishop. MOSAR confirmed the response of 2 type 2 searchers qualified for technical terrain. Shortly thereafter the subject was located by a helicopter and MOSAR response was cancelled.

Responders: Beck, Bush

October 18, 2023 23-507 #26

At 1249 hours the Team was called to assist a 53-year-old male subject reportedly suffering from chest pain in the vicinity of Mildred Lake. The notification was received via text message. The Team responded and established rescue base at Convict Lake.

Field team 1 left base and began their hike to the subject’s location, and 2 Mono County Medics rode a boat from the Convict Lske Marina to the west shore of the lake. Team 1 encountered the subject descending the trail a few hundred yards west of Convict Lake.

Field Team 1 along the shore of Convict Lake. Image by J. Lipman

Field Team 1 returning to base. Image by J. Lipman

The subject refused care and insisted on hiking out, though he was convinced to ride the ferry boat across convict lake. The subject stated that his party would transport him to Mammoth Hospital. The call terminated at 1450 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Wallace, Haugh, Blackman, Wilson, Senior, Lipman, Kelly, Childers

October 14, 2023 23-504 #25

At 1156 hours the team was called for a mutual aid assist in Inyo County for a 46-year-old male subject experiencing chest pain near Heart Lake in the Little Lakes Valley. Rescue base was established at the Mosquito Flats Trailhead, and a field team of 8 with medical equipment was sent to assist.

CHP Helicopter H82 flying overhead to extract the subject. Image by J. Lipman

Inyo SAR and MOSAR at the subject location awaiting the departure of H82. Image by J. Lipman

Prior to their arrival at the subject, CHP helicopter H82 flew overhead and landed near the subject. The field team arrived shortly thereafter. A patient assessment was performed, and the subject was packaged and loaded into H82 and flown to the Bishop airport and tranferred to the care of an ALS unit for transport to Northern Inyo Hospital. The operation terminated at 1456 hours.

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Patterson, Buchanan, Lipman, Blackman, Haugh, Mayernick

October 13, 2023 23-503 #24

At 1517 hours the Team was called to assist an injured 68-year-old paraglider pilot who had crashed near the Piute Launch Area south of White Mountain Peak. Rescue base was established on the Chalfant Loop, and a filed team of 5 drove up the very rough unpaved road as close as possible to the subject’s location in a Polaris Ranger 6-wheel drive.

A medical assessment was performed, and the subject was packaged in a wheeled litter and transported back to the Ranger with a rope-rigging assist. The Ranger, with the subject and field team, returned to base and transferred care of the subject to an ALS unit for transport to Northern Inyo Hospital. The operation terminated at 2048 hours.

IC: Salazar Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Patterson, Buchanan, Lipman, Senior, Gerber

October 7, 2023 23-489 #23

At 2038 hours the Team was called to assist in locating 2 female hikers in the vicinity of McLeod Lake who were unsure of their location or how to get back to their vehicle. Communication was established via mobile phone, and a SMS locator text was sent which provided their position coordinates. The subjects were provided with bearing instructions and advised to proceed, and a field team was able to locate them approximately 5 minutes in from the trailhead. The operation terminated at 2144 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Haugh, Cowan, Kaufman, Huizingh