October 28, 2020 Op 20-### #19

On October 28 at 3:41 pm, the Team was called to assist a 77-year-old male who was reported to be lying across the McGee Creek Trail in a semi-responsive state due to possible cardiac issues. The Team was enroute when the call was cancelled. A Mono County Deputy had hiked in, located the subject hiking out, and was advised that no assistance was needed or wanted. All Team members discontinued their response at 3:55 pm.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Quiring, Kaufman, Buchanan, Senior, Patterson, Evans, Torrence, Blackman, and Creager

October 17-18, 2020 Op 20-491 #18

On Saturday, October 17, and 3:14 pm, the Team was called to assist Mono County Animal Control and a pet owner to retrieve an injured dog in the bottom of the Upper Owens River Gorge, a short distance below the Crowley Dam. The Team staged on the rim of the gorge, and a field team descended 800’ of loose scree to the bottom to attempt to locate the injured animal.

The dog, a large (80 lbs!) Husky/Shepherd mix, was located, assessed, and found to be unable to walk. The dog was packaged in a full-body vacuum splint, and the field team began the long climb back to the rim. Another call was put out to the Team for assistance, and more team members joined the field team to help with the carryout.

Preparing for the carry out…

The new field team members brought a titanium litter with an all-terrain wheel, and the dog was re-packaged in this litter. The reinforced field team eventually reached the rim, and returned the animal to its owner. Animal Control later stated that the dog had a sprained leg, bruises, and internal bleeding, but was expected to make a complete recovery.

An upgrade to the titanium litter

At the top…

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Torrence, Buchanan, Case, Senior, Cucura, and Kallemeyn

September 21-22, 2020 Op 20-455 #17

The Team was called to search for an 83 year old female with early stage dementia, last seen on the bike path near Snowcreek. Field teams searched the golf course area and local law enforcement searched in the Town limits. The subject was located at the Motel 6 in good condition.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Hammack Responders: Wallace, Kaufman, Evans, Mulligan, Haugh, Patterson, Zila, and Hartstrom.

September 3, 2020 Mutual Aid to Yosemite Search & Rescue #16

Yosemite SAR requested mutual aid in a search for a 50-year-old overdue hiker. The hiker's stated intentions were to hike from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Half Dome, and then join the JMT and continue to Reds Meadow. The hiker had planned for 6 days, but after 9 days no one had heard from him, and he had not arrived at Reds Meadow.

Yosemite SAR was requesting that a team cover the portion of the trail from Reds Meadow to Donohue Pass, which is on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. This portion of trail covers 21 miles and 7,000' +/- in elevation gain, one way. A field team began preparing for departure, but shortly before they left, Yosemite was able to establish communications with the missing hiker and determine that he was at Ireland Lake, and not in need of assistance.

Ops Leader: Yosemite Search & Rescue Responders: Beck, Buchanan, and Senior

August 27, 2020 Mutual Aid to Yosemite Search & Rescue #15

Yosemite SAR requested mutual aid for assistance in a search for a 67-year-old male with a history of dementia, missing in the Little Yosemite Valley area. The subject was located prior to the arrival of any MOSAR personnel.

Ops Leader: Yosemite Search & Rescue Responders: Beck

August 22-23 Op 20-392 #14

The team received a call shortly after 11 pm on Saturday August 21st for a 57-year-old hiker who departed Rock Creek Canyon and was exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion. A party of two hikers discovered the subject, and one of the party hiked out to cell service to call for help while the other stayed behind and administered fluids. The subject appeared to be dehydrated and had difficulty rehydrating orally.

Inyo SAR was also activated as it was initially unclear if the subject was in Inyo or Mono County. Inyo SAR arrived first, treated and packaged the subject, and were transporting him out prior to MOSAR arriving on scene.  MOSAR drove up in the Ranger to meet Inyo on their way out, but no assistance from MOSAR was necessary.

IC: Minder Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Torrence, Haugh, Evans, Anderson, Wallace, Quiring, Case, Mulligan

July 31, 2020 Op 20-343 #13

At 0042 the Team was called for assistance to locate a missing, high functioning autistic 16-year-old male from Apple Valley, CA, who was last seen at the Hartley Springs Campground, at approximately 1600 on July 30, 2020. The subject was reported to be driving a yellow Suzuki ATV, and was thought to be somewhat familiar with the area.

Base was established at the Obsidian Dome Parking lot, along Highway 395. Four field teams were deployed in a pickup, a Polaris 6-wheel Ranger, and two Polaris RZRs. The field teams searched the west and east sides of Highway 395 completing multiple search assignments. CHP helicopter H40 joined the search after sunrise, as did a motorcycle field team.

At approximately 1015, it was reported that the subject was at his campsite in the Hartley Springs Campground. All four field teams were recalled. Mono County Paramedics responded and and found the subject to be in good condition. The subject reported that he was driving on the east side of Highway 395 when he became lost and his ATV ran out of gas. He began walking back, but was still unsure of the location of his camp.  The subject encountered another off-road traveler and was offered a ride back to his camp. After a debrief the call was terminated at 1057. 

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Wallace, Buchanan, Evans, Torrence, Patterson, Quiring, Hartstrom, Case, and Creager.

July 24, 2020 Op 20-326 #12

The Team was called to assist Mono County Medic 3 personnel in the extraction of a 70-year-old hiker with a head laceration in the vicinity of Rainbow Falls. Several team members responded, and brought the hiker out to the Rainbow Falls Trailhead.

Rolling our subject up the Rainbow Falls trail to the medic unit. Image: J. Bush

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Torrence, Wallace, Evans, Knight, Zila

July 19, 2020 Op 20-319 #11

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

July 15, 2020 Op 20-312 #10

At 1200 the team was called to assist a 19 year-old female from La Mirada, CA with an injured right ankle. The subject was on the trail to Rainbow Falls, about 1/2 mile from Rainbow Falls.  Rescue Base was established at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station. Four field teams, consisting of nine team members, went to the aid of the subject.

Team 1 arrived at the subject’s location and performed a medical assessment, and packaged the subject for transport in the wheeled litter. Teams 2, 3 and 4 joined team 1 to assist with the litter carry-out.

After arrival at the Devils Postpile Ranger Station the subject declined treatment, signed a release of care form, and elected to take a personal vehicle to Mammoth Hospital. After a debriefing, the call was terminated at 1425. 

IC: Hansen Ops Leader: Buchanan Responders:  Evans, Torrence, Firer, Knight, Wallace, Thompson, Senior, Hodges, and Godshalk.

July 13, 2020 Op 20-305 #9

At 1434 the team was called to assist a 42 year old male from San Diego who was exhibiting symptoms of possible AMS or heat exhaustion on the south side of Agnew Lake. Rescue Base was established at the Rush Creek Trailhad. Field team 1 began hiking up the Rush Creek Trail, followed shortly thereafter by field teams 2 and 3.

Team 1 arrived at the subject’s location and began a medical assessment. The subject exhibited symptoms of hyponatremia and AMS, exacerbated by possible heat exhaustion. The subject was given Gatorade which appeared to improve his symptoms.

Assessing the subject.

Teams 2 & 3 joined team 1 at the subject’s location. After a short period of recovery, the subject felt well enough to walk a short distance to the top of the Southern California Edison winch-powered tram at the north end of Agnew Lake.

Three team members (one twenty-something and two 30-somethings) rode the tram in the cool breeze in a comfortable seat with the subject and his companion while the remainder of the field teams (one 63-year-old, a 60-year-old, and a 57-year-old) hiked out in the hot afternoon sun on the exposed dusty, rocky trail.

The subject was met at the end of the tram ride by two Mono County medics who evaluated the subject and determined that hospital transport was not necessary, although advised. The subject declined medic transport, and was delivered back to his vehicle at the Rush Creek Trailhead. After a short debriefing, the call-out was terminated at 1845 hours. 

At the top of the Southern California Edison maintenance tram, preparing to descend to the power station. Image by J. Wallace

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Wallace, Bush, Torrence, Evans, Buchanan, Quiring, Kaufman, and Creager. 

July 10, 2020 Op 20-300 #8

The Team received a call for assistance at 1550 for a 67-year-old male hiker from Delaware with symptoms of AMS just west of the intersection of the Rush Creek Trail and the John Muir Trail, just east of Donohue Pass.

The Team responded to the Rush Creek Trailhead near Silver Lake in the June Lake Loop, and a field team of 2 began to hike in as other field team members gathered gear. CHP H40 was requested but was unable to assist. 

Assembling at the trailhead for the hike in.

Naval Air Station Lemoore was requested, and they accepted the mission and began flight preparations for their Seahawk, Lasso 01, a Sikorsky UH 60 variant.  Lasso arrived in the area at 1810, and field team one was held at Agnew Lake. The remaining field teams were held at base. Lasso located the subject, and then landed to drop gear, and returned and loaded the subject and his traveling companion.

Hiking back with the break-apart litter and litter wheel after Lemoore Lasso extracted the subject.

They were flown to the June Mountain Ski Area parking lot, and the subject was transferred to a Mono County Medic Unit, and then transported to Conway Summit for transfer to Careflight. It is unknown where the subject was flown, or his condition. 

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Quiring, Kaufman, Bush, Buchanan, Knight, Zila, Senior, and Evans. 

July 3, 2020 Op 20-283 #7

At 1540 the team was called for assistance to a 34-year-old male from Oakland with a reported open fracture to his right leg, sustained while climbing the Mendenhall Couloir (aka Northeast Gully) on Laurel Mountain.  The reporting party stated that the party had been hit by rockfall, and the subject had fallen an additional 20-30 feet, had a broken climbing helmet and an altered level of consciousness, along with an open fracture.

Rescue Base was established at the Convict Lake hikers parking lot. Immediately after receiving the call, a request was made through the Office of Emergency Services (OES) for air resources. Naval Air Station Lemoore (lemooresar@IG) accepted the mission and began preflight.

Field teams 1 & 2 were assigned to approach the subject from below by climbing the route, and either lowering the subject through the night, or stabilizing him until a morning air extraction. The subject was located approximately 3/4 of the way up the route, perhaps 2,000’ up lower-angled 5th class terrain, but descending from above had a high likelihood of generating rockfall on the route, and hitting the subject.

Team 3 was assigned to provide communication services at the intersection of Highway 395 & Convict Lake Road. Team 4 was assigned to radio relay at the top of a ridge to the east of Rescue Base. Team 5 carried both halves of the break-apart titanium litter, and the litter wheel to the base of the climbing route. A spotting team at the east side of Convict Lake could view the subject and his partners through high-powered optics, as well as teams 1 & 2 as they prepared for their ascent.

At 1825 Lemoore (call sign Lasso) arrived in a Seahawk (Sikorsky UH-60 variant) and began searching for the subjects, guided by radio communications from the spotting team. Three team members began their ascent to the subject. After Lasso located the subject and his companions, they made several low approaches to test the downdrafts and power check, as winds were steady 25 knots, gusting to 40, and the subject location was on the lee (downwind) side of Laurel Mountain.

Waiting on the progress of the Lemoore Seahawk at the entrance to the Mendenhall Couloir/NortheastGully

Lasso flew to the Mammoth-Yosemite airport to drop excess gear (weight) and returned to the incident site at approximately 10,500’. Due to the warm temperature and low barometric pressure, the aircrew were reporting a density altitude (DA, pressure altitude adjusted for non-standard temperature. The higher the DA, the less aircraft performance) of 12,948’, just 52’ below their 13,000’ service ceiling.

Lasso was able to lower their medic to the subject location, then departed the area to burn some fuel (weight) while the subject was assessed and packaged for the hoist.  Lasso was able to retrieve their medic and the subject, and they were transported to the Mammoth-Yosemite airport, and the subject was transferred to the care of Mono County medics, and transported to Mammoth Hospital.

Despite darkness, Lasso returned to the incident site twice more to hoist the subject’s companions, one who also had a significant injury. The subject’s injuries, while serious, turned out to be less serious than initially reported, with a fractured patella and various scrapes and contusions.

All field team members returned to base for debriefing, and at 2233, the call was terminated. 

IC: Hansen/Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders:  Bush, Buchanan, Torrence, Quiring, Senior, Patterson, Thompson, Zila, Wallace, Endo, Firer, Kaufman, Creager, Cucura, Cowan, and Knight. 

July 3, 2020 Op 20-281 #6

At 0843 the team was called out for a 61 year old male from Williams, CA who was experiencing chest pains, near Gem Lake. Team members responded and base was established at the Rush Creek Trailhead. Field teams #1 & #2 began hiking up the Rush Creek Trail.

CHP H40 helo arrived on scene at about 1025 and began looking for the subject. At 1053, the helo extracted the subject and flew him to the June Mountain parking lot, where a Care-Flight helo was waiting. The subject refused to take the Care-Flight, and was taken by H40 to Fresno.  After a quick debriefing, the call-out was terminated at 1123. 

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders:  Bush, Torrence, Firer, Buchanan, Wallace, Quiring, Senior, Pavlovsky, Zila, Patterson, Knight, Thompson, and Endo.

June 24, 2020 Op 20-263 #5

At 1758 the team was called out for a possible drowning at Six Bays on Crowley Lake. According to the reporting party, the wind blew a small float raft into the water at Six Bays. The subject went into the water to retrieve the raft.  Shortly thereafter, the reporting party said she heard the subject yell "help", but then he disappeared from sight at approximately 1611 hours.

The team members met at the Crowley Lake marina to plan the search. A Team member had his boat at the marina and volunteered to take some members out on the lake to search for the subject. Three Mono County Sheriff boats and a Long Valley Fire Department boat were searching for the subject, while the Mono SAR team members searched the shoreline.

Search for a missing person.

Assembling for a shoreline search.

None of the searchers were able to located the subject and the call was suspended at 2109 hours.  The missing person was located the next day by a San Bernardino dive team in 19’ of water.

IC: Hansen Ops Leader: Bush Responders:  Torrence, Buchanan, Kaufman, Evans, Mulligan, Frolio, Anderson, Quiring, Patterson, Zila, Cucura, and Senior. 

June 19, 2020 Op 20-254 #4

At approximately 2000 on June 19th, four team members responded to search for a 21-year-old female from Newport Beach with a medical condition in the Steelhead & Wasco lakes area. Her physician had called her home to report results from recent testing that indicated a health crisis. The physician was unable to reach the subject, but did speak with a close relative who called the Mono County Sheriff’s Office to report her location and request assistance.

A field team of 4 were ferried across Saddlebag like in the Sheriff’s Office patrol boat, and hiked to the Steelhead Lake area, calling out family member's names and using whistle blasts.  After several hours of waking up many campers at various campsites, the family was located between Wasco and Greystone lakes at approximately 0115 on 6/20. They were informed of the situation, and packed up camp.  The Team hiked them out to where the patrol boat was waiting at Saddlebag Lake to take them back across to their car. They sought medical attention on their own accord.

On the boat ride across Saddlebag Lake.

IC: Pelichowski (and boat driver) Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Patterson, Kaufman, and Quiring. 

May 26, 2020 Op 20-217 #3

The Team was called for a report of an overdue 29 year old hiker from San Diego who was said to be traveling from Buckeye Canyon to Peeler Lake. Search Base was set up at the Barney Lake trailhead at Mono Village, west of Bridgeport.  Four teams left base at 1900 to search the Barney Lake, Peeler Lake, and surrounding areas.  CHP helicopter H40 assisted until darkness.  All field teams bivouacked at 2330, and resumed searching at sunrise. 

Crossing Robinson Creek late at night. Image by M. Quiring

Searching near Peeler Lake. Image by M. Quiring

Still some deep snow on the shady north aspects. Image by M. Quiring

Robinson Creek in the daylight. Image by M. Quiring

The subject was located at Buckeye Hot Springs, and the search was terminated. All field teams were recalled returning at 1800. 

IC: Hansen Ops Leader: Bush/Beck Responders: Kaufman, Quiring, Godshalk, Hodges, Anderson, Cucura, Patterson, Senior, Buchanan, Wallace, Creager, and Evans. 

February 22, 2020 Op 20-103 #2

At 2051 the team was called for an overdue 57 year-old female hiker from Crowley Lake, who was hiking with her two dogs. The reporting party said the hiker was going to be hiking in the area NW of the Brown's Owens River Campground. Search Base was established on a dirt road, just NW of Brown's Campground. The IC was already on scene and was searching in the Sheriff's off-road vehicle. All four team members were requested to remain at base, until needed in the field. After about an hour, the subject drove to Search Base.

According to the subject, she got lost and became disoriented while looking for her vehicle.  She was able to use her mobile phone to call her family to report she was lost. Shortly thereafter, she saw vehicle lights and proceeded to walk in that direction. She soon reached her vehicle, and drove to Search Base. After interviewing the subject, the call-out was terminated at 2243. 

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Torrence, Pavlovsky, and Senior.  The Team volunteered 12 man hours for this call.

January 22, 2020 Op 20-41 #1

The Team received a request for assistance from a female skier with an injured lower leg in the Fern Lake/Yost Meadow area. The Team responded to the June Mountain Ski Area parking lot, and a Team of 3 snomos transported 4 other team members (with assistance from JMSA Ski Patrol, who also served as guides) to an area near Yost Meadow. The ground team proceeded toward the injured skier’s reported location by headlamp.

CHP H80 was requested, and agreed to assist despite the darkness. Just prior to the ground team’s arrival at the incident location, H80 was able to extract the skier and transport her to the June Mountain parking lot. The field team arrived very shortly thereafter, and skied out with the subject’s party to Highway 158, where all were retrieved.

The subject arranged for her own transport to seek medical care. The snomo team returned to base, and the operation concluded at 2320.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck/Buchanan Responders: Patterson, Evans, Carlson, Cowan, Mulligan, Anderson, Senior, Hartstrom

December 11, 2019 #52

At 1700 Riverside County requested mutual aid for a search for a missing hiker on Mt. Baldly. Mono County SAR sent 4 team members to participate in the search, and their search assignment was in the vicinity of the Bear Canyon Trail and the Ski Hut Trails, arriving via a hike along the Devils Backbone, accessed via chairlift and hiking.

The team of 4 bivouacked overnight, resumed their search on the next day (December 13), but then a SAR volunteer from Riverside County lost his life in a fall during the search, and the search was suspended. The field team exited via the Manker Flat Trail. The remains of the hiker were eventually found in July 2020.

IC: Pelichowski Responders: Buchanan, Kaufman, Quiring, and Wallace