July 22, 2026 26-363 #30
Rockfall Injures Two Hikers, One Critically, Below Mildred Lake
At 1345 hours the Team was called by the Mono County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) for a report of two subjects who had been struck by rockfall while hiking from Convict Lake to Mildred Lake. The text-to-911 coordinates provided an approximate location a few hundred feet below Mildred Lake. The reporting party's (RP) follow-up messages indicated that he had been immobilized by the rockfall after his ankle was crushed, and that his hiking partner and wife had been rendered unresponsive. The RP estimated that the rock which struck his partner was approximately the size of a basketball and had hit her directly in the head.
Operations immediately requested air resources, and CHP H-42 from Fresno accepted the mission. Rescue base was established at both the Convict Lake Marina and Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH), with Operations establishing command at each location.
A Mono County Paramedic (and team member) works on subject 1 with an additional CHP Paramedic.
Airport Operations assembled a hasty helicopter rescue team (HRT) consisting of a wilderness EMT, the on-duty paramedic from Mono County Medic 3 (who is also a SAR rescuer), and a third team member to transport equipment and manage technical operations on scene. Marina Operations assembled and deployed several ground teams carrying critical medical equipment, multiple litters, and technical evacuation gear. Their approach was estimated at 4.5 miles with approximately 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
H-42 flew over the subjects to reconnoiter the area before landing at Mammoth-Yosemite Airport (KMMH). Due to repeated patient updates indicating that the female subject's condition was worsening, H-42 instead landed at Mildred Lake and offloaded its flight officer/paramedic. The paramedic made contact with the subjects and initiated patient care while H-42 flew to KMMH to pick up a second paramedic who was also a MOSAR member. Due to erratic afternoon winds, and in the interest of expediency, H-42 elected to remain on the ground at Mildred Lake while both paramedics worked to stabilize the critically injured subject. At least one additional flight was completed to deliver critical medications and advanced medical equipment needed for comprehensive mountainside ALS care.
Once the subject was stable enough for movement, both paramedics, along with the H-42 pilot, packaged and carried her several hundred vertical feet uphill from the accident site to the helicopter. Just before this movement began, the ground teams reached the accident site and initiated patient care for the second injured subject.
H-42 transported the critically injured subject back to KMMH, where she was received by SAR personnel, a second Mono County paramedic, Mammoth Fire personnel, and the critical care team from Sierra Life Flight. Extensive treatment continued as the Sierra Life Flight crew prepared her for transport to a Level I Trauma Center in Fresno.
Meanwhile, MOSAR personnel worked with H-42 to reconfigure the aircraft for the evacuation of the second injured subject. Shortly after Sierra Life Flight departed, H-42 returned to extract the second subject. The subject was briefly cared for by Mono County paramedics and Mammoth Fire personnel while H-42 made one final flight to retrieve the remaining Mono County paramedic.
All ground teams exited the area and were ferried back to the Convict Lake Marina aboard the Team's rescue boat after reaching Convict Lake. H-42 was reconfigured at KMMH before transporting the second injured subject to a Level I Trauma Center in Fresno.
The Team wishes the best possible outcome for both subjects following this tragic incident.
A sincere thank you to CHP, Sierra Life Flight, Mono County Paramedics, Mammoth Fire, and Long Valley Fire Chaplain Zastapol for their assistance during this operation.
IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Salay Responders: Ackerman, Anderson, Arndt, Beck, Blackman, Brownlee, Creager, Cucura, Glessner, Haugh, Huizingh, Kelly, Knight, Quiring, Romanova, Senior, Schildge, C. Thompson, M. Thompson, Wallace, Wojciechowski
On-Scene Coordinator: Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue
139 person hours volunteered