At 1127, the Team was called to assist a climber on the 3rd Pillar of Dana who had taken a lead fall and was reporting various injuries. The Team staged at the Lee Vining airport and began assembling gear. CHP helicopter H40 was requested as an aerial resource.

Several field teams drove to Tioga Lake and the trailhead for Glacier Canyon, which leads to the use trail to the top of the Dana 3rd Pillar. Hefting fairly light packs, the field teams made their way to the top of the 3rd Pillar, and built a lowering system to lower a team member and litter to the subject at the top of the third pitch, approximately 300 feet below the summit.

Image of the Team in action, from the Lee Vining airport. Image by J. Pelichowski

The subject was assessed, treated, packaged in the litter, then the rigging team at the top converted the lowering system to a 7:1 mechanical advantage raising system and hauled the subject and attendant back to the summit. CHP H40 had arrived, and was able to land on the Dana Plateau. The subject was carried to the A-Star, and CHP delivered the subject to Mono County medics waiting at the Lee Vining airport who transported the subject to Mammoth Hospital.

Just below the summit, on the way down to treat and retrieve the injured subject.

The rigging team converted back to a descent configuration, and a team member was lowered to assist the injured climber’s partner. The rigging team converted to a raising system and hauled both to the summit. The injured party’s partner hiked out with the Team, who departed after dismantling their rigging systems. The call terminated at approximately 2200.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Hammack, L Responders: Anderson, Zila, Kaufman, Knight, Haugh, Torrence, Kallemeyn, Endo, Patterson, Firer, Case, Hodges, Creager