Inyo SAR Incident 7/7 (Bishop Pass Trail)

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Inyo SAR:

We would like to remind everyone that conditions are still challenging, if not dangerous. The lingering snow and high creek crossings not only increase the difficulty of recreation in the mountains, but they also complicate rescues.

We just responded to a patient with a dislocated ankle and a compound fracture in his lower leg on July 7. He was hiking above Long Lake, near the Bishop Pass Trail, when he slipped on the snow, then slid down the slope in an uncontrolled manner for a short distance. At last, he crashed feet first into a boulder, leading to the injury.
Even though he was just over 2 miles away from the trailhead at South Lake, it took 6 hours from the time of his accident to reaching higher care.

Expect the unexpected: even if you’re just out for a day hike or to go fishing, bring at minimum a head lamp, food, water and enough layers to avoid hypothermia while laying on snow.
Also, we said it before and will say it again: If you don’t have proper snow and ice experience, avoid steep snowy slopes, as they are inherently dangerous.

As far as current conditions go, most of the Sierra Nevada (within Inyo County) still has patchy snow between 9,000 and 10,000 feet elevation, and almost full snow coverage above 10,000 feet.

Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer and unpaid, professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation with and under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County and its visitors is only possible thanks to donations.