At 0850 hours the Team received a request for assistance with a 60-year-old male reported to have a possible tib-fib fracture. The Team staged at Saddlebag Lake, and a field team of 8 members was organized for the rescue. The Saddlebag Lake Resort provided boat service to deliver the field team to the west end of Saddlebag Lake.

Boat service from Saddlebag Lake Resort. Image by B. Beck

Beautiful North Peak in the background. Image by B. Beck

The reporting party traveled with the field team, and provided guidance to locate the subject. The subject was assessed, determined to have a possible dislocated ankle and tib-fib fracture, and packaged for transport in the wheeled litter.

The subject had traveled off-trail to his injury location, so the litter extract was fairly difficult with a steep, off-trail descent to reach the abandoned road that now serves as the access trail to Steelhead Lake.

A member of the subject’s party assisting with the litter on a steep descent. Image by B. Beck

On the way back to the dock. Image by B. Beck

When the field team reached the west shore of Saddlebag Lake, the boat crew from the Saddlebag Lake Resort was waiting at the dock, and our subject was loaded, floated across the lake, and given to the care of Mono County medics upon arrival at the east end of Saddlebag Lake. The operation terminated at 1352 hours.

On the return to the Saddlebag Lake Resort for hand-off to the Mono County medics. Image by B. Beck

IC: Way Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Bush, Patterson, Evans, Dunne, Torrence, Hodges, Godshalk, Endo, and Cowan.