Mono SAR Incident 8/6 Lakes Canyon

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Mono Co Sheriff's Dept:

At 1902 hours the Team was asked to assist an injured climber in Lakes Canyon near Mt. Scowden. A pair of climbers reported ascending the 6-pitch 5.10a route, and on the 6th pitch the lead climber was establishing a belay for the second, but the second began climbing before the belay station was complete, and before the lead climber had begun belaying the second. The second fell, and without the belay, the fall was an estimated 90’, hitting the cliffside on the way down. It was reported that the fallen climber had a possible pelvic fracture, and possibly fractures in both legs.

The uninjured climber called for assistance, and then was able to lower his injured partner 5 pitches back to the ground, and then to move him 100’ from the base of the cliff. MOSAR responded and established rescue base at the Lundy Lake Dam (Lakes Canyon Trail trailhead). Beginning in the dark, a field team of 9 hiked up the Lakes Canyon Trail, and were able to locate the party when they spotted their headlamp a few hundred yards up the talus field.

The injured climber was assessed, treated, and packaged in the titanium litter. Air resources were requested from Lemoore Naval Air Station, and a Sikorsky UH 60 variant and crew accepted the mission, with the call sign Lasso 03.

Lasso 03 arrived just prior to the first ground team members, and flew overhead while the subject was packaged for transport. Lasso 03 hovered overhead and lowered a crewmember to the subject, clipped the litter harness to the hoist hook, and both were both were hoisted on board the helo. The subject was flown direct to Fresno for immediate treatment at a trauma center.

The field team gathered all of the Team gear, as well as the subject’s pack, and began the hike out. The field team was accompanied by the injured climber’s partner. All arrived safely at rescue base, and the operation was terminated at 0128 hours on Saturday morning.

IC: Way Ops Leader: Beck Responders: Quiring, Patterson, Wallace, Bush, Torrence, Hartstrom, Creager, and Senior.