August 30, 2026 26-442 #45

Injured Hiker on the Duck Pass Trail

On Sunday, August 30th, at 1429 hours, the Team was paged by the Mono County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for a report of a 70-year-old female who had taken a fall above Barney Lake, striking her head on the rocky descent switchbacks before Duck Pass. It was reported that the fall may have occurred after the subject experienced symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness. It was also reported that the subject was potentially continuing down the trail.

Rescue Base was established at the Duck Pass Trailhead, at the end of Coldwater Creek Campground. Rescue Operations deployed Team 1, a hasty medical team of two, including a wilderness EMT, with trauma and airway equipment, including bottled oxygen. A second team of five, Team 2, deployed shortly thereafter with the Team’s titanium rescue litter.

Three-quarters of a mile up the trail, Team 1 encountered a pair of hikers who conveyed that the subject was in distress and was still located “way up there” near the initial call location, approximately 3.5 miles up the trail. It was reported that she had sustained a potentially significant head injury. Team 1 requested air resources from Rescue Operations. Approximately 5 minutes after the request was made, Team 1 encountered the subject walking down under her own power, surrounded by a group of good Samaritans, and air resources were canceled.

The subject was briefly assessed and, thanks to the help of the good Samaritans, already had her head wrapped. Team 1 and Team 2 joined together, and all personnel, including the subject, continued the walk back down to the trailhead. The subject elected to seek further care at Mammoth Hospital and was transported by a family member.

The operation was terminated at 1639 hours.

IC: Belcher // Responders (12): Anderson, Baron, Brownlee, Bush (Ops), Haugh, Huizingh, Lipman, Pavlovsky, Quiring, Salay (Ops), Tardy, Trianor

Volunteer hours: 26