Madeira SAR Incident 8/19 (Iceberg Lake)

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Madeira SAR:

On August 19, 2023 around 8:45am, the Madera County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team was made aware of a hiker that had possibly fallen around the area of Iceberg Lake in the Inyo National Forest of Madera County.

An adult male hiker from Southern California had planned to hike from Devils Post Pile to Lake Tahoe. After obtaining GPS Coordinates from the hiker’s InReach device, MCSO SAR requested assistance from the California Highway Patrol helicopter H-40 and Mono County Sheriff’s SAR for Type 1 hikers. CHP H-40 responded to the area and positioned SAR teams to search for the missing hiker.

A SAR team located the hiker on the side of a steep boulder field, but unfortunately, he had succumbed to his injuries during the fall. Due to incoming Hurricane Hilary and the imminent threat to rescuers’ lives, his recovery operation was postponed until the storm passed.

On August 22, 2023, Search and Rescue teams from Madera and Mono Counties, along with CHP H-40, teamed up to recover the hiker. H-40 landed near the shore of Iceberg Lake and a SAR team hiked to the decedent. By use of a Sked stretcher and rescue rope system, the SAR team was able to transport him to H-40. He was ultimately flown to Madera Airport, met by the Madera County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Division, who will make arrangements with his next of kin.

We thank our partners at CHP and Mono County for their efforts to help resolve this tragic incident. Our heartfelt condolences go out his family and loved ones.