July 3, 2023, 23-298 #12

At 1534 hours the Team was called to assist in the recovery of a 30-year-old female swimmer/tuber found deceased in a waterway below Grant Lake. The Team staged at the 395/158 north intersection, and a Sheriff’s Office drone was able to confirm the location that had been determined by a member of the Lee Vining Volunteer Fire Department.

A field team of 3 entered the stream and was able to retrieve the remains, which were turned over to the Mono County Sheriff/Coroner. The operation was terminated at 1809 hours. IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Wallace, Childers, Quiring, Anderson, Knight, Brownlee, Torrence, Blackman, Buchanan, Patterson, Cucura

June 21, 2023, 23-269 #11

At 1258 hours the Team was called to assist in the search for an unknown number of overdue climbers with the stated goal of climbing on the Incredible Hulk in Little Slide Canyon. The number of overdue climbers was later determined to be two.

Search base was established at the Barney Lake Trailhead at the west end of Mono Village in the Bridgeport-Twin Lakes area. Field team one departed as a hasty team to search the immediate climbing area, and they ran into snow a couple of miles in. They attached skins to their skis and continued the ascent toward the Hulk.

Avalanche debris across the trail early in the approach. Image by J. Lipman

An alternate log crossing for Robinson Creek - the normal log crossing was underwater due to high spring snowmelt. Image by J. Lipman

Additional avalanche debris on the use trail after crossing Robinson Creek. Image by J. Lipman

Field team two followed shortly thereafter with the intent to conduct their snow travel with snowshoes. Field team two also carried a camera drone, and deployed this resource just down-canyon of the base of the Hulk. The drone was used to search the climbing routes, but no climbers were located.

Field team three also carried skis, and skied from the snowline toward the Hulk. Just prior to team 3’s arrival in the search area, field team one established voice contact with the search subjects at 1850 hours. Field team 3 verified that the couple were the subjects reported overdue, and the subjects departed the area with field team 1. All teams were instructed to return to base. Field team 1 and field 3 team joined, and with the subjects, returned to base, arriving shortly after field team 2.

Field team one on the descent of Little Slide Canyon. Image by J. Lipman

Still deep snow and lots of places to fall in. Image by J. Lipman

The subjects, a male and a female from Spain, had been reported overdue by personnel at the Mono Village campground as they had paid to park for June 16-18, and their rental vehicle was still in the parking lot on June 21. The climbers were not fluent in English, but explained that due to high winds during their stay at the Hulk curtailing their climbing activity, they decided to lengthen their stay, and did not consider themselves overdue. The operation terminated at 2142 hours.

IC: Rhoads, Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Anderson, Brownlee, Lipman, Kelly, Irving-Ruffing, Cucura, Quiring, Endo

May 29, 2023 23-### #10

At 1047 hours the Team was called to assist a female kayaker who had overturned and was stranded on a rock in the creek at an unknown location south of Silver Lake. Prior to the Team’s arrival at rescue base, the subject was assisted to shore, possibly by June Lake Fire. The operation was concluded at 1112 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Beck/Haugh Responders: Quiring, Evans, Wallace, Anderson, Knight, Lipman, Kelly

May 27, 2023 23-208 #9

At 1305 hours the Team was called to assist in the search for a missing 13-year-old male with autism at the north end of June Lake. Before any of the team members had arrived at the search base, the subject was located and reunited with his parents. The operation concluded at 1318 hours.

IC: Rhoads Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Haugh, Lipman, Kelly

March 3, 2023 23-073 #8

At 1458 hours the Mono County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Team to extract an individual suffering from anxiety in a snow-bound cabin at Lower Twin Lake Bridgeport. Prior to the latest series of cold and wet winter storms, a family of 4 had made their way to their cabin, and then became snow-bound as the winter storms rolled in and dropped many feet of snow.

CHP H40 was contacted, and agreed to take the mission. H40 flew to the Bridgeport Valley and picked up one team member at the intersection of Twin Lakes Road and Hunewill Ranch Road, and flew to the subject location. The team member was hoisted down, and he assisted two of the 4 person group in donning the screamer harness and hoisting up to H40.

Those two were flown out, and H40 returned and picked up the team member and delivered him back to base. The operation concluded at approximately 1715 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Responders: Hartstrom, Creager Beck

March 2, 2023 23-072 #7

At 1038 hours the Team was called to assist Lee Vining Fire with an injured male snomobiler in the Aspen Grove Campground in Lee Vining Canyon. The rider was reporting a shoulder injury. Lee Vining Fire responded and sent one rider on a personal machine to locate and assess the injured party while MOSAR was on route to rescue base on Highway 120 near the USFS station. The highway was not cleared beyond this point.

When the Team arrived, Lee Vining Fire had already begun extracting the subject, and the Team waited until the subject was safely out before terminating their response, The subject later reported a dislocated shoulder. The operation terminated at 1217 hours and the Team returned to the Mammoth Lakes SAR Facility.

IC: Pelichowski/Rhoads Ops Leader: Beck/Patterson Responders: Quiring, Knight, Torrence, Cucura, Brownlee, Anderson, Senior, Zila

February 25, 2023 23-069 #6

At approximately 0900 hours the Mono County Sheriif’s Office requested assistance in locating stranded motorists who had proceeded past the road closed sign on the Benton Crossing Road and became stuck in the deep and drifted snow.

A field team of 4 snowmobiles departed from near the Green Church and followed the snow-covered road. They encountered several stuck vehicles and 17 stranded motorists. They coordinated with Inyo County who had a snowcat in the area to recover all stranded motorists.

After approximately 5 and one half hours in the field, the field team returned to base, and the operation was terminated at 1630 hours.

The Mono County Sheriff’s Office posted the following on social media shortly thereafter:

The roads are closed. All of them. There is no alternate route, back way, or secret route. It's a blizzard, people. You cannot see your hand in front of your face, let alone a snow stake to guide your way. Stay home. Or wherever you are if you aren't home (and if you're somewhere you shouldn't be, you'll have to sort that out with your significant other - we told you to make good choices).

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Patterson Responders: Buchanan, Carlson, Senior, Torrence

February 23, 2023 23-067 #5

At approximately 1350 hours the Team was called to assist with a reported snomobile-tree collision on the A Trail 1/4 mile from where the A Trail crosses Owens River Road. The lone male subject was reported to have serious life-threatening injuries, and a Mono County Medic Unit was summoned and arrived prior to MOSAR.

Other riders in the area were able to transport the medics to the subject. The Team arrived shortly thereafter and a field team of 2 immediately departed on a snomo towing the Rescueboggan over-snow litter. A second field team of 2 snomos went out to transport other first responders back to rescue base.

The subject was quickly packaged and placed in the Rescueboggan along with an attending medic. The subject was transported to the medic unit, and then transported by the medic unit to a Care Flight fixed-wing aircraft at Mammoth-Yosemite Airport for a flight to Renown medical facility in Reno, NV.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Anderson, Buchanan, Creager, Endo, Kelly, Knight, Patterson, Roos-Collins, Senior, Torrence

January 28, 2023 23-30 #4

At approximately 1141 hours Mono County Medic 7 unit was dispatched to assist a 46-year-old male homeowner with possible hypothermia at a USFS Cabin in the Glass Creek Tract near Crestview Caltrans Maintenance Station. The access road is not cleared in the winter, and due to inacccessability the medics requested MOSAR support to reach the subject.

Three MOSAR team members responded to Crestview with snowmobiles, but upon their arrival it was determined that the medic crew had hiked into the subject, assessed his condition, and escorted him back to his vehicle at Crestview. The operation was terminated at approximately 1300 hours.

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Evans, Haugh

January 23, 2023 23-024 #3

At 1628 hours the Team was called for an ELT activation reported by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) near Bald Mountain. The AFRCC had received a signal from a 406 mHz Electronic Locator Transmitter (ELT), which communicates coordinates to a satellite constellation, and reported 8 hits on a location. An ELT activation is typically caused by an aircraft accident as the ELT is actived by an inertia switch. The AFRCC provided coordinates and advised that the accuracy should be 400 feet or better. The Team staged at the Deadman Summit recreation parking area, and assembled a field team of six snomobiles and riders.

Shortly after nightfall the field team departed base and navigated to a location within a quarter mile of the AFRCC provided cooordinates. At this point the terrain became too steep for the snow machines, and 5 of the field team members proceeded to the coordinate location via skis, splitboards, and snow shoes.

Near the summit of Bald Mountain where the field team left the snow machines to travel the final quarter-mile on human power. Image by Beck

Upon arrival at the coordinate location, there was no sign of aircraft wreckage or any other human activity. A search area was established with a 400 yard radius, and no wreckage was found. The AFRCC reported that there had been no aircraft reported as overdue, so the search was terminated, and the field team members ascended the steep snow slope back to their snow machines.

The field team returned to base, debriefed, and the operation was terminated at 2012 hours.

IC: Pelichowski/Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Beck, Brownlee, Carlson, Haugh, Kaufman, Lipman, Patterson, Quiring, Roos-Collins, Senior

January 22, 2023 Op 23-021 #2

At approximately 1218 hours the Team was called to assist a 41-year-old female skier with a reported lower leg fracture. Mono County medics were initially called, but due to the location of the subject, MOSAR was called to assist with the extraction.

The subject was located just southeast of Mammoth Rock on the lower slopes of the Sherwins. The Team staged at the propane storage tanks on Sherwin Creek Road. The subject ws only a very short distance from flat terrain, and the Sheriff’s Office requested a limited callout. Three team members departed base on snowmobiles towing the Rescueboggan, an over-snow patient transport device..

The subject was quickly located, and was assisted to the Rescueboggan and transported back to base. Mono County medics took over her care and transported her to Mammoth Hospital. The call terminated at 1601 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Senior, Carlson

January 7, 2023 Op 23-001 #1

At approximately 1430 hours, the Team was called to assist a 43-year-old male snomobile rider from Georgia who was stuck east of White Wing. At the time of the request, several members of the Team were engaged in a snomo training at Smokey Bear Flat, and these team members and the team snomos were pressed into service to respond.

7 snomos and 6 personnel responded to the Crestview Maintenance Station, and staged between the travel lanes in the paved crossover. A field team of 6 left the trailhead and navigated to the coordinates provided by the subject. shortly before arriving at the coordinate location, the subject was located hiking on Deadman Creek Road.

The subject declined the offer of the field team to assist him in retrieving his machine, stating that it would not be possible to retrieve it until Deadman Creek Road was groomed. The subject was transported to rescue base on a 2-up trail sled, and then was transported to his vehicle by a Mono County Sheriff’s Sergeant.

The operation terminated at approximately 1600 hours.

IC: Gillespie Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Bush, Kaufman, Kelly, Cucura, Evans

October 21-22, 2022 Op 22-575 #37

At 2315 hours the Team was called to assist in locating a 52-year-old male hiker on the Fern Creek Trail who had become separated from his hiking party. The Team staged at the June Lake Fire Station #2, but before the operation could commence, the two hiking companions located the missing hiker, and they hiked out togeher. No team personnel went into the field. The call was terminated at 0100 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Evans, Quiring, Patterson, Wallace, Endo, Mayernick, Brownlee, Roos-Collins, and Haugh

October 9, 2022 Op 22-252 #36

At 1246 hours the Team was called to assist a 31-year-old female with unspecified ailments between Barney Lake and Peeler Lake in the Hoover Wilderness. Air resources were requested, and CHP helicopter H20 from Auburn, CA accepted the mission. The Team responded, and a field team of 4 staged at the Barney Lake trailhead and began the hike in.

Helicopter H20 arrived on scene, and was able to land nearby, pick up the subject, and transport her to the airport in Bridgeport. The operation was terminated at 1531 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Beechan, Buchanan, Burnett, Evans, Hartstrom, Kelly, Lipman, Patterson, Quiring, Wallace

October 5-7, 2022 Mutual Aid Madera County, #35

At 1303 hours, the Team was called to assist Madera County Sheriff Search and Rescue in the search for an overdue hiker/scrambler in the area of the Minarets. The subject was traveling solo with the possible objectvie of summiting Clyde Minaret, 12,281’ elevation.

For the first afternoon, the Team was on standby as CHP helicopter H40 conducted an aerial search of the area. The search was postponed as darkness descended.

Search Base at Minaret Vista. Image by J. Lipman

Helicopter departing the LZ. Image by J. Lipman

Along the shore of Minaret Lake. Image by J. Lipman

On October 6 at 0800 hours, Teams from Mono, Madera, Marin, and Fresno staged at Minaret Vista, and an Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopter arrive just after 1000 hours to begin inserting field teams into the search areas. Four field teams were inserted, and shortly thereafter a spontaneous volunteer (a local outdoors professional) located the subject after hiking in and checking various locations that he thought were likely.

Madera was unable to extract the subject before darkness, so arrangements were made to have the National Guard Blackhawk return at 0800 hours the next morning.

Due to mechanical difficulties and other delays, the Blackhawk did not arrive at rescue base until after noon, but were able to insert their own personnel, extract the subject, and transport his remains to rescue base for transfer to the Madera coroner.

IC: Madera Sheriff Search and Rescue Mono Ops Leaders: Thompson, Beck Responders: Brownlee, Burnett, Creager, Endo, Evans, Godshalk, Hartstrom, Haugh, Kaufman, Kelly, Knecht, Knight, Leyen, Lipman, Mayernick, Pavlovsky, Quiring, Wallace.

September 29, 2022 Op 22-### #34

At 0931 hours the Team was called to assist with a 65-year-old injured hiker west of Waugh Lake. Due to the distance from the nearest trailhead, the Team was placed in standby status while CHP helicopter H40 from Fresno attempted to locate and retrieve the subject.

H40 was successful, the Team was released from standby, and the operation terminated at 1207 hours.

IC: Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Beechan, Buchanan, Evans, Kelly, Torrence, Lipman

September 26, 2022 Op 22-516 #33

At 1542 hours the Team was called to assist a 71-year-old injured hiker in the Sand Canyon area. Base was established in Swall Meadows, and a UTV and 4WD vehicle left base to search for the subject. The subject and her hiking partner were located, and declined to be treated.

They were transported back to their vehicle, and they declined medical assistance once again. The operation terminated at 1854 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Haugh Responders: Buchanan, Knecht, Childers, Evans, Torrence, Anderson, Brownlee, Senior

September 21, 2022 Op 55-506 #32

At 2008 hours the Team was called to assist a 25-year-old hiker who was unprepared for nightfall on a return hike from Rainbow Falls. The hiker did not have a headlamp or other light source in his possession.

The Team staged at the Rainbow Falls trailhead near the Reds Meadow Pack Station, and a field team was assembled and began the hike in. The hiker was encountered approximately .3 of a mile from the trailhead, and was escorted back to their vehicle. The operation was terminated at 2216 hours.

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Evans, Quiring, Bakas, Beechan, Lipman, Knight, Haugh, Mayernick

September 4, 2022 Op 22-474 #31

At 1538 hours the Team was called to assist a 60-year-old female near the outlet of Valentine Lake with an ankle injury. The Team staged at the Sherwin Lakes trailhead, and 4 field teams, spaced a few minutes apart, hiked to the subject location to assist.

Field Team 1 with subject party. Image by J. Lipman

The subject was assessed, treated, and packaged in the wheeled litter for transport to rescue base. It was determined that the Valentine Lake Trail was a better descent option, and the field teams, the subject, and members of the subject’s party were picked up at the Valentine Lake trailhead and transported to rescue base. The subject opted to seek medical attention via personally owned vehicle. The operation terminated at 2151 hours.

Wheeled litter transport. Image by J. Lipman

The call went well into darkness. Image by J. Lipman

Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Bush, Creager, Hartstrom, Lipman, Quiring, Senior, Thompson, Torrence, and Wallace.

August 29, 2022 Op 22-460 #30

At 1419 hours the Team was requested to assist a pair of boaters with engine troubles on Crowley Lake near McGee Bay. The pair reported that they had lost engine power, and the wind had pushed them into a marshy area and they could not access the shore. They called 911 for assistance via mobile phone.

The trek out to the stranded boat. Image by J. Lipman

The Team staged just off of Highway 395 near McGee Bay on a dirt access road. The Polaris Ranger 6X6 transported 2 field teams to the shore near the subjects, and an inflatable boat was used to retrieve them. Their boat was tied off, and they were transported to their vehicle. The call terminated at 1806 hours.

Preparing for departure from the stranded boat. Image by E. Kaufman

IC: Pelichowski Ops Leader: Beck(initial)/Bush Responders: Brownlee, Buchanan, Endo, Evans, Irving-Ruffing, Kaufman, Knight, Lipman, Senior, Torrence, Wallace