Highlights of The Year 2018

Compiled by Webmaster and Jim Gilbreath

The following accounts of field operations are the best efforts of the newsletter editor, are NOT official reports, and may have errors and omissions, for which apologies and regrets are expressed in advance.

January

January 1, 2018, 18-003, #1 At 12:15 PM the Mono County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was called out for rescue of an injured ice climber. A 64 year old Mono County man fell about 40 feet while climbing ice at Chouinard Falls in Lee Vining Canyon (37.94113, -119.22550).

Five SAR team members hiked down from the green bridge on the Hwy 120 Tioga Pass road, while two more were lowered from CHP helicopter H40. The subject was placed in a litter and carried to a location where a helicopter hoist was done by CHP helicopter H40. He was transferred to Care Flight at Lee Vining airport, and flown to Reno for treatment.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Kaufman, Bush, Guffey, Greene, Creager, Thompson, Torrence, and Traxler. The Team volunteered 56 man hours for this call.

Officers for 2018 were approved by the Board on January 8:

2018 Board of Directors - President: Carole Schilz; Vice President: Luke Hammack; Secretary: Marie French; Member: Chris Thompson; Member: Lisa Cowan; Member: Eric Kaufman; Member: Barry Beck; Member: Steve Case; Member: Jim Gilbreath

2018 Staff - Chief Financial Officer: Bill Greene; Training Officer: Barry Beck; Membership Director: Eric Kaufman; Facilities Director: Bruce Torrence; Equipment Director: Barbara Barnum; Special Events Director: Vacant; Public Relations Director: Jim Gilbreath; Website: Lisa Cowan

January 10, 2018 - Spinal Injuries after meeting training with Eric Kaufman

January 13, 2018 - Lake Ice Rescue Training at Lundy Lake with Natai Endo - Bruce Torrence Photos and Video

January 14-15, 2018, 18-030, #2 At 2357 on Sunday January 14, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was called out for rescue of a 20 year old man from Hayward, CA, who was reported overdue from a climb of White Mountain Peak.

He and the companion RP departed from Black Eagle Camp, but the RP turned back short of the summit, and later reported to 911 that the subject had communicated via cell phone that he had slipped and fallen 15 feet and was unable to hike down to his car.

The Team responded with five rescuers, 3 rescue trucks, and a Polaris Ranger ATV. By the time the Polaris crew reached the subject’s car, he had managed to hike down unassisted, though painfully. He was followed down to Base, where he refused medical assistance. Due to the remote location, Team vehicles logged a total of 550 miles.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Torrence, Case, Luke Hammack, and Wallace. The Team volunteered 46 man hours for this call.

January 20, 2018 - Rigging Refresher Training with Natai Endo,Kirk Hartstrom, Luke Hammack and Ben Traxler - Bruce Torrence Photos and Video

January 27, 2018 - Avalanche Transceiver Training with Jeff Holmquist.

February

February 15, 2018 - Patient Assesment Training

March

March 3, 2018, 18-091, #3 On Saturday morning March 3 at approximately 1015, Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol was performing routine avalanche mitigation work in a closed area when a large avalanche released on the Climax ski run, and traveled down Upper Dry Creek and terminated at the bottom lift terminal of High Five Express [Chair 5].

The powder cloud from the avalanche extended about 100 meters into an area open to the public, where two guests were partially buried. Both were able to immediately free themselves without serious injury. Additionally, employees working at the bottom of the closed lift were partially caught, but freed themselves quickly. Ski Patrol was on scene with initial rescue efforts within moments, and search operations began immediately.

Ski Patrol led a six-hour search, which included 200 employees and first responders, including the Mono County Sheriff SAR Team that was called out at 1030. Fifteen Team members responded to probe and beacon-scan the avalanche debris in search of any buried victims. None were found and the Mountain returned to normal operations the next day.

Responders: Beck (Ops), Pelichowsky (IC), Hansen (IC), Carole Schilz, Kaufman, Buchanan, Brad Schilz, Bush, Traxler, Barnum, Vianzon, Woods, Cucura, Cowan, Case, Kallemeyn, Tonseth, and Bucklin. The Team volunteered 130 man hours for this call.

March 3, 2018, 18-092, #4 At 1655, immediately following the finish of the avalanche probing call on Mammoth Mountain, the Team was assigned to respond in aid of two snowboarders and one skier who had called 911 and requested assistance because they were in very deep snow and didn't know where they were located.

They had started at Lake Mary, intending to finish in Old Mammoth but got into deep snow where the snowboarders had difficulty continuing and were stranded at 37.627, -118.999 near the Valentine Reserve. Thirteen Team members responded for 2-1/2 hours with two rescue trucks and two snowmobiles, located the subjects and provided snowshoes for the snowboarders. They were escorted out where they were met by Mono County Paramedics, and refused medical care.

Responders were: Barnum (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Torrence, Buchanan, Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Kaufman, Bucklin, Cowan, Woods, Tonseth, Case, French, and Bush. 33 Team man hours.

March 18, 2018 - Snowmobile Field Training with Barry Beck.

April

April 11, 2018 - Blood-borne Pathogen Training with Dori Leyen.

April 15, 2018 - Basic Candidate Training with Jim Gilbreath, Jeff Holmquist, John Bush, Barbara Barnum, Eric Kaufman, Bruce Torrence and Jim Wallace.

2018 Candidate Class

April 18, 2018 - Communications Training with Jim Gilbreath and Kirk Hartstrom.

April 20, 2018 - Tracking Classroom Training with Steve Case.

April 21, 2018 - Tracking Field Training with Steve Case.

April 28-29, 2018 - First Aid and CPR/AED Training with Christina Ackerman.

May

May 5, 2018 - Search Training with Heidi Vetter, Christina Ackerman and Steve Case.

May 6, 2018 - Self-Arrest Training with Jeff Holmquist.

May 9, 2018 - Sheriff Office Orientation with Eric Kaufman and Marie French.

May 10, 2018, 18-239 #5 At 1500, the team was called out in aid of a local 29 year old mountain guide with a dislocated hip in the vicinity of Matterhorn Peak at 38.10710, -119.376091. 15 team members responded, and 4 field teams were sent in from the Twin Lakes trailhead.

The subject was reported to be located below the snow level, but this turned out to be false information, so field teams were recalled to get ice axes and crampons for safe glacier travel. Helicopter aid was requested, and a Blackhawk crew from LeMoore NAS was able to fly in the dark, and during a short break in the bad weather was able to extract the subject. He was transferred to Medic 7 in Bridgeport, and taken to Mammoth Hospital for treatment.

Responders were: Hammack and Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Hartstrom, Kaufman, Wallace, Haugh, Quiring, Bush, Eimen, Beechan, Buchanan, Endo, Lyon, Creager, Case, and Kallemeyn.. The Team volunteered 120 man hours on this call.

May 30-31, 2018, 18-265, #6 At 2115 on the night of May 30, the Team was called out to search for a missing 76 year old man who had hiked over Mammoth Pass to fish in the San Joaquin river, but had not returned to his car at Horseshoe Lake.

He left his companions in the afternoon, intending to hike back to Horseshoe Lake alone. His companions called 911 after failing to find him. Ten Team members responded, and sent field teams to search and track over Mammoth Pass to McLeod Lake and on down to Crater Meadows. The subject was located at a campsite (37.58525, -119.04841) near Crater Meadows, where he was aided by Pacific Crest Trail hikers. The SAR team escorted him back to his car, arriving at 0315.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Reigle (IC), Hagan, Torrence, Kaufman, Wallace, Patterson, Hennes, Eimen, Endo, and Brodbeck. The Team volunteered 82 man hours on this call.

May 12, 2018 - Mountain Navigation Training with Jim Gilbreath.

May 16, 2018 - Knots and Rigging System Training with Barry Beck, Natai Endo and Bryan Hagan.

May 19, 2018 - Technical Rescue: Rock Anchors Training with Barry Beck, Natai Endo, Bryan Hagan, Luke Hammack and Chris Thompson.

June

June 2, 2018 - Technical Rescue: Low-Angle Rigging Training with Barry Beck and Natai Endo.

June 7, 2018 - Helicopter Classroom Training with Bill Greene.

June 9, 2018 - Helicopter Classroom and Field Training with Bill Greene.

June 13, 2018 - GPS after meeting Training with Jim Wallace.

June 19, 2018, 18-307, #7 At 1115 on Tuesday June 19, the Team was called out in aid of a 70 year old Bishop woman who was reported to have an injured leg after a fall above Emerald Lake. Ten Team members responded to the Emerald Lake trailhead and hiked in, located the subject in Sky Meadows at 37.57645, -118.98917, and assessed and packaged the patient for transport.

The Sheriff’s Office requested helicopter aid, and a SH-60 Seahawk crew from Lemoore Naval air station arrived quickly and transported the subject to Mammoth airport, where Mono County Paramedics transported her to Mammoth Hospital for treatment.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Torrence, Bush, Ackerman, Greene, Thompson, French, Cowan, Quiring, and Hennes. Of interest to team members is the fact that the subject is the wife of a former Team member in the June Lake Mountain Rescue Team days. The Team volunteered 48 man hours on this call.

June 24, 2018, 18-318, #8 On Sunday morning, June 24, 2018 at 11:23 AM, the Team was called out for rescue of a 25-year old woman from Massachusetts who had sustained a possible broken ankle at Crystal Crag in the Mammoth Lakes basin. She and a friend had almost summited the crag when a boulder dislodged and struck her ankle. Her friend and other climbers lowered her off the crag to the base, while the Team assembled and hiked in with equipment to extract her from the backcountry.

She was transported by wheeled litter to the SAR team staging location at Lake George. Her friend transported her to Mammoth Hospital for treatment.

Responders were: Greene (Ops), M. Hansen (IC), Torrence, Hennes, Kaufman, Wallace, Cowan, Guffey, Bush, Endo, Haugh, Quiring, and Rae. The Team volunteered 57 man hours for this call.

June 28, 2018, 18-328, #9 At 1244, a San Diego woman notified the Mono County Sheriff’s Office of SPOT activations she had received from her husband. She stated that her husband, brother-in-law, and two nephews were camping, hiking, and fishing in the area of Green Lake. Her husband's SPOT had been activated 4 times at 1154, 1158, 1243, and 1254.

The four coordinates were moving away from the trailhead toward West Lake. She was concerned because her husband had recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was on new prescription medications. The SAR Team was called out at 1333, and 12 members responded, climbed up 1700 feet toward West Lake in 3 miles, and located the party at 1619.

There were no reported injuries, and no assistance needed. The SPOT device was inspected, and showed the flap over the emergency activation button was loose, likely causing the device activations.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Hansen (IC), Hagan, Creager, Kaufman, Bush, Patterson, Endo, Greene, Rea, Haugh, Wallace, and Buchanan. The Team volunteered 51 man hours for this incident.

June 30, 2018 - Technical Rescue: High-Angle Rigging Training with Natai Endo, Bryan Hagan and Kirk Hartstrom.

July

July 1, 2018, 18-338, #10 Two 30+ year-old male climbers from San Jose, CA were reported missing while climbing Matterhorn Peak. The RP had been climbing with the subjects but decided not to summit, and waited for them. When the subjects failed to show up, RP hiked out and called for assistance. Base was established at Mono Village at upper Twin Lakes.

Seventeen members responded. Four field teams were dispatched to locate the missing climbers. CHP helicopter H40 also responded and located the climbers. They were not injured but the flight medic felt it was best to extract the pair and flew them down to Mono Village.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Hammack L, Wallace, Buchanan, French, Bush, Zila, Hennes, Haugh, Hagan, Torrence, Quiring, Hartstrom, Cowan, Greene, Kaufman, and Patterson. The Team volunteered 170 man hours for this call.

July 1, 2018, 18-339, #11 Four climber/hikers from San Francisco were hiking from Mt. Conness, to the trailhead at the Saddlebag Lake parking lot when their PLB accidentally sent an emergency activation. All rescue vehicles, which were at the previous Matterhorn Peak call out, responded.

When the four subjects reached Saddlebag Lake Road, they were met with a large group of Team responders. They were embarrassed but appreciative of the Team's effort. After determining the four subjects were in good condition, the call was ended at 2215.

Responders were: Beck(Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Wallace, Buchanan, French, Bush, Zila, Hennes, Haugh, Hagan, Creager, Torrence, Quiring, Hartstrom, Cowan, Greene, Kaufman, Patterson, and Dunne. The Team volunteered 52 man hours for this call.

July 3, 2018, 18-334, #12 A 37 year old male climber from San Francisco was injured (possible broken ribs) while climbing on 3rd pillar of Mt. Dana with a companion (RP). The RP had cell service and called for assistance. Base was established at the Lee Vining Airport and H-40 was requested.

Team member Hagan, who happened to be on Mt. Dana, reported to base that he was within 900 meters of the subject. He climbed to the top of the 3rd Pillar, where he was able to make contact with the subject, who was 100- 150 feet from the summit, and provided updates throughout the incident. Yosemite's Helicopter 551 took over the airspace and over-flight assessment.

They picked up YOSAR personnel at Gaylor Pit and flew to the Mt. Dana summit. They extracted the subject and companion and flew them to the Lee Vining Airport where they were met by Mono County paramedics, who drove them to Mammoth Hospital.

Responders were: Beck(Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Kaufman, Haugh, Dunne, Torrence, Greene, Rae, Wallace, Quiring, Buchanan, Unsworth, Endo, Creager, Hartstrom, Cowan, and Hagan. The Team volunteered 119 man hours for this call.

July 5, 2018 - Litter Attendant Training with Natai Endo.

July 7-11, 2018 - Techincal Rescue Training with Christina Ackerman.

July 11, 2018 - Knot Passing Training with Natai Endo and Bryan Hagan.

July 12, 2018, 18-366, #13 At 1137 the Team was called to provide assistance to June Lake Fire and Mono County Paramedics for a carryout of a fallen climber at the Clark Canyon climbing area. The call was canceled two minutes later since the subject had been extracted to the parking area.

Responders were: Endo (others may have responded).

July 18, 2018, 18-377, #14 The Team was called out at 1615 for a missing 72 year-old male from San Diego who was hiking near Patricia Lake/Peak area. The subject and his companion (the RP) stopped for a while and then continued hiking. The companion realized he left his GoPro where they stopped, so he hiked back a short distance to retrieve his GoPro. When he returned to where he left his companion (the subject), the subject was gone.

The companion searched for a while and then returned to where their car was parked. Car was still there. He went back to look for the subject but couldn't find him. The companion called for assistance. The SAR team arrived at the Hilton Lakes trailhead and sent a team of four members up the trailhead. A few minutes later, Base received a call from the ICs that they had located the subject driving his car. They interviewed the subject, who had walked out on his own while the field teams were being briefed. They drove him to his campsite to be reunited with his companion.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski & Hansen (IC), Hennes, Gilbreath, Kaufman, Torrence, Eimen, Quiring, and Wallace. The Team volunteered 29 man hours for this call.

July 20, 2018, 18-382, #15 A callout was initiated at 1203 for an injured subject due to an equestrian accident near the Golden Gate Mine (38.5139, -119.5317). R1 & R3 were enroute, but the call was canceled at 12:53 since CHP helicopter H24 extracted the subject and transferred him to Mono County paramedics for transport to medical care.

The subject, a 65 year-old male, sustained a head injury when he and his mule parted company. The incident was in Alpine County, and Mono County was requested to assist.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Wallace, Patterson, Torrence, Kaufman, and Buchanan. The Team volunteered 21 man hours for this call.

July 22, 2018 - Mechanical Advantage - Rope Training with Eric Kaufman.

July 26, 2018, 18-396, #16 A family of four from Santa Maria, CA, hiked up to Heart Lake from the parking lot at Coldwater campground. After they had lunch, the 60 year old subject felt unsteady with an irregular heart rate and that he would not be able to walk out. His son walked out and found someone with a cell phone who called 911 for assistance.

When the SAR Team arrived at the trailhead, the subject and his family were there. The subject was able to walk out unassisted after resting and drinking water.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Buchanan, Bush, Haugh, Kaufman, Cowan, Hennes, Dunne, Wallace, and Cucura. The Team volunteered 22 man hours for this call.

July 29, 2018, 18-404, #17 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.

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.

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.

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.

August

August 1, 2018, 18-413, #18 A call out was sent at 1219, on August 1, 2018, for a 65 year old female from Granite Bay, CA who was experiencing AMS symptoms, including blue lips, headache, vomiting, lethargy, and tender/swollen abdomen near Big McGee Lake. The subject had difficulty standing and/or walking.

Subject was reported to be camping on the north shore of Big McGee Lake; RP was the subject's daughter. Base was established at McGee Creek Road & Crowley Lake Road. R3 was parked at the McGee Creek trailhead to act as a communication relay. Three teams, consisting of 7 members, were dispatched to Big McGee Lake.

H40 was requested to assist. After H40 located the subject, they went to base to drop off some equipment in order to reduce weight. After the team members reached the subject, they prepared her for transport to the LZ, about 1/2 mile away.

The subject was littered to the LZ where she was placed in the helo and transported to the Mammoth airport. From there she was transported by ambulance, to Mammoth Hospital. After the Team members arrived back at the trailhead, a de-briefing was held and the call ended at 2230.

Responders were: Greene (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Bush, Patterson, Kaufman, Guffey, Haugh, Wallace, Buchanan, and Torrence. The Team volunteered 112 man hours for this call.

August 2, 2018, 18-416, #19 A 28 year old local hiker whose legs were pinned between boulders on a high ridge above Duck Lake called 911 and activated his emergency locator beacon. Ten SAR members in four teams were dispatched up the Duck Pass trail.

CHP Helicopter H40 responded, searched the area for a while unsuccessfully, and then landed at the Horseshoe Lake barrow pit to meet with SAR team personnel to discuss additional search areas/strategy. After removing weight/equipment from the helo, the CHP crew flew back to the accident area with a MOSAR member and began searching additional locations based on data received from the subject's cell phone.

The victim was sighted by H40 at 37.56018, -118.94244 (11,900 feet) with the sun reflecting off the space blanket he was waving. H40 landed at an LZ northeast of Duck Lake and debarked the MOSAR member, who radioed the lead ground team in the Duck Lake area the subject's location. The other team was then able to see the reflections of the space blanket and began hiking directly to the subject's location.

The Ops Leader instructed the MOSAR member to leave H40 and join the teams in the field. A helo from Lemoore NAS arrived, in case additional SAR members or heavy lift equipment was need at the scene. It landed at the Horseshoe Lake borrow pit to pick up the heavy lift gear and a Mammoth Lakes Fire Department operator. They then flew to Duck Lake and attempted to insert the operator and lift gear near the accident site.

Due to the high altitude and winds they were unable to do the insert near the accident site, so they then landed next to H40 at the LZ. The on-site team requested additional O2, and H40 was able to lower an O2 bottle provided by the Lemoore team to the ground team. After hoisting down the O2 bottle, H40 flew to Mammoth airport to configure for a hoist/extraction operation.

Mammoth Lakes Fire Dept. personnel transported H40's equipment from the Horseshoe Lake pit to Mammoth airport. Being unable to debark the equipment and operator near the accident site, Lemoore helo flew to Mammoth airport to drop off the lift equipment and operator they had pick up at the Horseshoe pit. They then returned to Lemoore NAS.

When team members reached the subject, they assessed his injuries, provided him oxygen, and set up two mechanical advantage pulley systems (5 to 1 and 9 to 1) to move the boulder that was trapping him. Before successfully freeing the subject, several attempts had to be made with minor re-rigging of the pinning boulder in order to achieve a rock lift/pivot that didn't put more weight on the pinned legs.

Just after the subject was freed, H40 returned to the accident site and lowered the Bauman bag and a litter to the ground team. A quick patient packaging was done, and the subject was hoisted up to H40, and flown to Mammoth Airport. Mono County Paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital. The call was ended at 2230.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Hansen (IC), Kaufman, Bush, Hennes, Wallace, Greene, Torrence, Eimen, Quiring, Case, Endo, Cowan, Guffey, Gilbreath, French, and Hagan. The Team volunteered 158 man hours for this call.

August 4, 2018, 18-421, #20 A callout was sent at 1428 in aid of a 33 year old male hiker from La Puente, CA who was injured after slipping on a wet rock and falling while hiking near Minaret Falls in the Devil's Postpile area.

The reporting party stated that he had a compound open leg fracture and they would be moving him out of the water. Two SAR teams were sent from the Postpile Ranger Station up the trail to Minaret Falls to the subject.

When the SAR teams arrived on scene, a Park Ranger Paramedic and EME had already wrapped and splinted the subject's leg. After a medical assessment was performed, the subject was transported, by wheeled litter to an awaiting ambulance at the Ranger Station. Mono County paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital.

Responders were: Greene (Ops), Hansen (IC), Fernandez, Carlson, Quiring, Wallace, Buchanan, Torrence, Kaufman, Hennes, and French. The Team volunteered 46 man hours for this call.

August 4, 2018, 18-423, #21 Tuolumne County SAR (YOSAR) requested a mutual aid response for a missing 8 year old hiker in the area of Mono Pass. The boy was described as having brown hair wearing a purple tie-dyed shirt and blue jeans. His name was Ryan.

YOSAR explained that Ryan was hiking with his family near Spillway Lake and had somehow become separated; they suspected that he was continuing on the trail that goes over Mono Pass into the Walker Lake drainage. YOSAR requested that we conduct a hasty search of the trails in the area of Mono Pass and they were sending a ground team over the pass from the west.

SAR Team members were working on a previous call near Devils Postpile, but others were available to respond to this one. Two SAR members started on the west side of Walker Lake and headed west toward the top of Mono Pass.

Patrol Deputies and a single SAR member were checking the several different trailheads and camping areas. The SAR member advised over the radio that he had spoken to 2 individuals that had seen Ryan in the area of Little Sardine Lake at approximately 1345 hours. Ryan looked OK and his direction of travel was east towards Walker Lake.

At 1745, dispatch was contacted by a group of campers in the area stating that Ryan had walked into their campsite near the trailhead. At 1805 hours, a SAR member advised that he was with Ryan and conducting a medical assessment. Ryan was tired, but happy and healthy. Two YOSAR team members and Ryan were provided a ride back to Yosemite. SAR members were in the field from 1500 to 2000 hours.

Responders were: Pelichowski (IC & Ops), Bush, Kallemeyn, and Hagan. The Team volunteered 21 man hours for this call.

August 8, 2018 - Rope Inspection Training with Bryan Hagan.

August 8, 2018 - Taking Vital Signs Training with Eric Kaufman.

August 11, 2018, 18-437, #22 The Team was called at 1154 to search for a missing 48 year-old male backpacker who was ten days overdue. The backpacker took out a wilderness permit for a backpacking trip to begin on July 25, and exiting on August 1. He planned to backpack from Robinson Creek to Crown Lake, Matterhorn Canyon, Smedberg Lake, Seavey Pass and Peeler Lake. He was last seen at the Bridgeport Ranger Station.

On August 11 his father reported him overdue. Eight SAR members responded to the call and responded to the Sheriff's office in Bridgeport, where base was established. Two members were dispatched to the trailhead at the Mono Village Resort Campground to interview people exiting the trailhead and to post some missing person posters.

A Sheriff deputy and a SAR member drove to the campground to investigate the subject's vehicle. The car was unlocked and inside they found the subject's wallet, cell phone, cash, keys and a journal/diary. Additional calls were made to the subject's parents to gather further information about the subject. At 1740 two YOSAR teams began hiking the same route the subject put on his wilderness permit.

Responders on August 11 were: Greene (Ops), Hansen (IC), Kaufman, Frolio, Bush, Wallace, Buchanan, Case, and Torrence. Those who called and were put on standby were: Rea, Hagan, Kallemeyn, Quiring, Hartstrom, and Gilbreath.The Team volunteered 77 man hours on this day.

August 12, 2018. 18-437, continued, #23 Two Team members interviewed hikers/backpackers who entered or exited the Robinson Creek trailhead about the missing subject. They informed a trail maintenance crew about the missing subject. No clues were obtained.

Responders on August 12 were: Buchanan and Wallace. The Team volunteered 19 man hours on this day.

August 12-13, 2018, 18-440, #24 At approximately 1213, Mono County Sheriff's Office Dispatch was contacted by a pair of hikers in the Mount Ritter area. The call was for a 21 year old female hiker/scrambler from Southern California who had taken a fall on Mt. Ritter near the bottom of the chute that leads up toward the summit from the Southeast Glacier.

They had turned around an estimated 400 vertical feet from the summit, and were descending at the time of the accident, and were at approximately 12,200 feet. She sustained head injuries, and many scrapes, lacerations, and contusions. She did not remember the fall, but her partner reported that her footing shifted, and she fell and landed on a snowfield, and slid down the snowfield, accelerating quickly, until her descent was arrested by a head-first slide into talus.

Four team members met at the Mammoth-Yosemite airport. Gear selections were discussed, and packs stuffed full, and shortly thereafter a Seahawk helicopter from Lemoore NAS arrived.

After briefing, all were loaded aboard, and the Seahawk departed into the night. The crew was using night vision equipment, so the interior of the helo was completely dark, and the moon was a very thin crescent, offering little in the way of illumination. The many lights of Mammoth Lakes passed underneath, and once past Minaret Vista, it was completely dark except for the glow in the night sky of Mammoth Lakes behind the helo.

The helo flew as close as they dared in the full darkness to the coordinates provided by the injured party, and a blinking headlamp was spotted high up on Ritter. The helo flew to the proposed LZ, and scouted the terrain, performed power checks, and eventually set down in a small alpine meadow at 9600 feet elevation, less than 2 miles from the subject, and 2,500 vertical feet lower.

The field team offloaded, and the helo departed to fly a little closer to be sure that the injured party had been identified. They had a better safety margin without 900 pounds of SAR team and equipment aboard. The helo verified that they had located the subject, confirmed the coordinates of 37.684400, -119.195352, and departed.

The field team began hiking through the dark, making steady progress through the cross-country terrain and difficult 3rd-class rock scrambling. The rock scrambling dissolved into the toe of the Southeast Glacier, and crampons were donned, and ice axes came out. After an hour or so of snow scrambling, a headlamp was spotted a few hundred feet above the field team, and the team quickly maneuvered to the location, arriving around 0100.

The climbing party had not been prepared for a night out. The trip was planned as a day-hike from Agnew Meadows, and though that is an ambitious day, it is reasonable for a fit party.

The subject is a cross-country runner at a Southern California college, and her partner is an ultra-marathoner. A thorough patient assessment was completed, and the injuries were tended. Due to the fact that the subject did not remember the fall, there was concern about the nature of the head injuries, so the field team kept the subject awake all through the rest of the night.

A helo extract had been promised for 0800 Monday morning, but it did not arrive until 1030. In the meantime, the subject had been loaded in the litter and carried from the overnight location down to a location for better access to the helicopter.

An Air Force CH 47 Chinook flew in, and performed an impressive pickup. The pilot came in sideways, then rotated the craft and backed up toward the litter and attendants, and then set the back wheels down, one wheel each on different rocks, with the front wheels hanging in the air. The tailgate was less than 8 feet from the kneeling field team The tailgate was lowered, and helo personnel swarmed out and grabbed the litter, and waved everyone on board. The flight medics were working on the subject before the wheels left the ground.

The Chinook carried all to the Lee Vining airport, and shortly after landing, Care Flight arrived and took custody of the injured party. She was flown to Renown Hospital in Reno.

Responders were: Pelichowski (IC), Beck, Endo, Hagan, and Creager. The Team volunteered 107 man hours for this call.

August 13, 2018, 18-437, continued, #25 Two field teams hiked 35 miles of trails and cross country routes in Horse Creek, Blacksmith Canyon, Robinson Creek drainage, checking key points including Barney Lake, Peeler Lake, Snow Lake, Crown Lake and Rock Island Pass. No clues were found and the search was suspended at the end of this day. The subject was later found on Saturday August 18, deceased, on Suicide Ridge in Yosemite.

Responders on August 13 were: Buchanan, Wallace, Bush, Frolio, and Rea. The Team volunteered 84 man hours on this day.

August 18, 2018, 18-459, #26 At 1345, The Team was called in aid of an 80 year old local hiker on the Fern Lake trail. June Lake Fire and Medic 2 also responded. The subject was evacuated via wheeled litter to the trailhead, and Mono County Paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital.

Responders were: Beck (OPS), Pelichowski (IC), Bush, Cowan, Kaufman, Fernandez, Eimen, Quiring, Wallace, Buchanan, Greene, and Case. The Team volunteered 36 man hours for this call.

August 29, 2018, 18-490, #27 The Team was called at 1839 in aid of a 69 year old woman from Mill Valley, CA who was reported to have an ankle injury below the Conness Glacier. Three field teams were dispatched and located the subject with two campers, who had assisted the subject down to their campsite at Greenstone Lake.

After splinting the subject's left ankle, she was evacuated via wheeled litter to the Saddlebag Lake parking area, where a friend drove her to Mammoth Hospital for treatment.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Hansen (IC), Quiring, Patterson, Torrence, Bush, Greene, Dunne, Hartstrom, Carlson, Cowan, Rea, Hagan, Unsworth, and Eimen. The Team volunteered 198 man hours for this call.

September

September 3, 2018, 18-496, #28 At 1310 the Team received a call for a 38 year old climber from Alameda, CA with a reported fractured ankle at the bottom of the top pitch of the 3rd Pillar of Mt. Dana.

The Team responded to Lee Vining airport anticipating an air insertion, but all air resources were reporting as unavailable or available with significant delay, so a hike in was necessary.

The field teams drove to Tioga Lake, and started up the use trail toward the summit of the 3rd pillar. As soon as the first three arrived, a main and belay were constructed, and upon the arrival of the second three, a lowering commenced.

A Team member was lowered with a litter over the edge of the 700' cliff to the subject. The subject was packaged, and as other members of the field team arrived, a raising was begun with a 7:1 mechanical advantage. The litter stuck briefly at the edge, but was vectored successfully over the lip.

CHP helicopter H80 arrived from Apple Valley and landed on the Dana Plateau. The litter was carried to H80; the subject was flown to Lee Vining, and Mono County Paramedics transported him to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. H80 returned to retrieve a crewman.

The Team sent another member over the edge to the subject's partner who was still on the face about 100' from the summit blocks. The Team conducted the second raise to bring up the subject's partner, then all systems were demobilized, and all field teams hiked out to Tioga Lake, with most of the walk in the dark with periods of rain.

Responders were: Beck (Ops), Pelichowski (IC), Quiring, Kaufman, Bush, Torrence, Rae, Greene, Halferty, Cowan, Endo, and Hammack. The Team volunteered 116 man hours for this call.

September 12, 2018 - ELT Classroom Training with Jim Gilbreath and Bill Greene.

September 14, 2018 18-516, #29 A call out was initiated at 1017 on September 14. 2018 for a 63 year-old female backpacker from Arizona, who was complaining of back spasms. She was on the Pacific Crest Trail west of Waugh Lake (now dry).

A team of five members was dispatched to the Rush Creek parking lot to wait for further instructions. CHP H40 was dispatched and located the subject. They were able to land and hiked a mile to the subject. After assisting the subject to the helicopter, they flew her to the Mammoth Lakes airport, where the she was transported by Mono County Paramedics. to Mammoth Hospital for treatment.

Responders were: Pelichowski (IC), Kaufman, Torrence, Patterson, Buchanan, and Creager. The Team volunteered 16 man hours for this call.

October

October 13-14, 2018, 18-576, #30 At approximately 2100 hours, the team received a call out for a missing 16 year old female, Karlie Guse', in the area of White Mountain Estates. She was last seen Saturday morning on Ponderosa Street near White Mountain Estates in Chalfant, walking toward California highway 6.

Team members were requested to meet at the Laws Museum at 0600 hours on Sunday October 14, 2018. Team members, along with two search and rescue dogs/handlers from the Fresno area, searched but did not locate the subject. After a short debriefing, the search was suspended for the day.

Responders were: Hartstrom (Ops), Sgt. Clark (IC), Bush, Belovsky, Torrence, Kallemeyn, Frolio, Quiring, and Kaufman. The Team volunteered 85 man hours on this day.

October 16, 2018, 18-576, #31 This day was a continuation of the search for Karlie Guse' near Chalfant. The subject was not located.

Responders were: Endo, Patterson, Bush, and Belovsky. The Team volunteered 44 man hours on this day.

October 20, 2018 - Litter Training with Bryan Hagan.

October 21, 2018, 18-584, #32 The Team was called at 5 PM to locate and rescue a 21 year old male from San Jose, CA who had severe symptoms of altitude sickness. The location was given as 1-1/2 mile above Barney Lake out of the Mono Village trailhead. The Team hiked in approximately 5 miles with the RP, and arrived in two hours. It was dark from start to finish for the entire incident.

The subject was hypothermic, disoriented, shivering, and in pain. His spo2 was 62%, with rapid breathing and weak radial pulse. He could not walk. After an hour of oxygen, his condition improved enough that a 4 hour carryout was started, arriving at the trailhead at 0210, where Mono County Paramedic 7 transported him to Carson Valley Medical Center in Gardnerville. No helicopter service was available.

Responders were: Hansen (IC), Buchanan, Kaufman, Hagan, Hartstrom, and Patterson. The Team volunteered 62 man hours for this call.

October 31, 2018 - Wilderness First Responder Training with Eric Kaufman.

November

November 1-2, 2018, 18-599, #33 Alpine County requested mutual aid searchers for a missing peak bagger in difficult terrain at high altitude. The subject was found deceased on November 3 at the base of a 200 foot cliff.

Responders were: Pelichowski (MCSO 2 days), Quiring (2 days), Buchanan (2 days), Kaufman (2 days), Bush, Wallace, and Cucura. The Team volunteered 162 man hours for this call. 548 POV miles.

November 3-4, 2018, 18-576, #34 In a continuation of the Karlie Guse' search, the Team responded to a request for flankers and support to assist human remains detecting dog teams in the area around White Mountain Estates.

Responders were: Case, Bush, Kaufman, Quiring, Buchanan, Wallace, and Greene. The Team volunteered 102 man hours for this call. 556 POV miles.

November 12-14, 2018, 18-616, #35 The Team responded in Mutual Aid to Butte County to search for human remains in the Camp Fire devastation. Protective gear for eyes, breathing, and clothing was required. The Team arrived at midnight and slept in a classroom on the floor.

The first day's assignment was to search through missing person's properties that were reduced to ashes, looking for any sign of human remains with the assistance of an anthropologist. The next two nights they slept on cots in a high school gymnasium with a couple hundred closest friends.

The next day they were assigned a large area to check inside every car, again looking for humans; tagging every car searched. While in Paradise they had on full protective gear and completed the National Guard's decontamination process.

Responders were: Pelichowski, Greene, Kaufman, Buchanan, and Quiring. The Team volunteered 172 man hours for this call. 412 POV miles.

November 18, 2018, 18-616, #36 another mutual aid response to Butte County. Our job while there was to clear properties (check for human remains, pets, hazards, etc) out in the outskirts of Concow, CA. We were stationed each night at a large rescue/fire camp (called Camp Forebay) in Oroville, CA. The camp provided a large mess area, showers, sleeping area, medical zone, PPE distribution, fuel-up area, large IC area, and much more.

The team slept in tents out in the quieter section of the park/camp. Ops began at 0830 each morning and concluded at 1600. Level 3 hazmat gear was worn each day, and the National Guard ran decontamination stations for us, equipment, and vehicles each day. Our last day a clear set of bones was found, but upon investigation by anthropologists, it turned out to (likely) be a two-toed animal and not human.

Responders were: Quiring, Wallace, Luke Hammack, Hagan, Beck, Hartstrom, Pelichowski and Hansen. The Team volunteered 336 man hours for this call.

November 22-23, 2018 (Thanksgiving Day), 18-634, #37 Notice was given of a hiker in distress, snowed-in near Garnet Lake, near the PCT at approximately 9,900 feet elevation. The hiker's condition was reported as stable. Winter weather prohibited air access to the area.

On Friday, November 23, MOSAR team members met a National Guard CH-64 Chinook helicopter at Mammoth airport. After loading equipment, the National Guard flight crew waited on the runway for a weather window. The flight crew of Schooner 20 navigated in the tight airspace, in a snowstorm, in the High Sierra, and were able to locate the subject.

A suitable landing zone was located, and the Chinook set down less than 40 feet away from the subject. The subject was rapidly carried to the helicopter, followed by a medical assessment and treatment. A Mono County paramedic unit met the helicopter at the Mammoth airport and provided ongoing patient care and transport.

Responders were: Hammack, Endo, Quiring, and Kaufman. The Team volunteered 36 man hours for this call.

December

December 8, 2018 - SAR Awards Party at Snowcreek Bistro

The Team's annual Christmas Party and awards dinner featured a marvelous array of food at The Bistro, and presentations of honors and awards. Here are some excerpts from the press release.

The Team's highest honor, election to status as a Lifetime Member, is only rarely conferred by the Team to a Rescue Member who has made unusual, faithful, and regular contributions to the Team and to the welfare of victims over a significant number of years.

Barry Beck received this high honor at the Team's annual awards dinner on December 8, 2018. Barry has served the Team very actively for 14 years. Records show that he has participated in 230 search and rescue missions, 307 trainings, and 243 meetings, for a total of 780 Team events. This is an enormous voluntary commitment of time and talent to the County and the Team.

Barry has faithfully served the Team in a wide variety of roles, including Board member, Training Officer, and currently as the Team President. He is very versatile and dependable, and has consistently been eager to accept difficult field assignments in any weather.

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