A call out was sent at 1329 for a 21 year old injured hiker from Oregon, located between Mt. Conness and North Peak at 11,400 feet. The reporting party was climbing near the glacier when he heard someone yelling "Help".
The RP hiked to a higher elevation where he had cell service. He provided the approximate coordinates of the subject's location. Base was established at the Saddlebag Lake parking lot. Three teams for a total of eight members were dispatched to the saddle between Mt. Conness and North Peak. After lots of boulder climbing/scrambling, the teams located the subject. His leg was wedged and trapped between boulders that he unintentionally caused to fall.
Leg entrapment
The team learned that two climbers, who heard the subject's yelling, climbed up to the subject and helped hold him in a somewhat vertical position. They also applied a tourniquet to the subject's leg. Helicopter assistance was requested and a National Guard UH-60 (Blackhawk Guard 823) responded.
The Blackhawk moving in for the extraction
Team members set up three mechanical advantage systems in order to move the boulders away from the subject's leg. Helicopter assistance was requested and a National Guard UH-60 (Blackhawk Guard 823) responded.
The helo crew lowered a medic who made his way to the subject. After extracting the subject's leg from the boulders, the team littered him down to a snowfield where the subject was hoisted into the helo.
Extraction successful!
As the helo flew to the Lee Vining Airport, Team members retrieved all the rigging equipment and began hiking back to base. The two climbers, who assisted the subject, hiked out with the team. The call out ended at 2300.
Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Kaufman, Quiring, Bush, Endo, Dunne, Wallace, Hagan, Luke Hammack, Buchanan, Eimen, and Torrence. The Team volunteered 145 man hours for this call.