Mt Whitney Webcam
Mt Williamson Webcam
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 207 guests, and 16 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Another Whitney rescue
#28842 10/31/12 08:45 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
S
Steve C Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
In the Fresno Bee this morning:


Quote:

Fresno CHP copter rescues injured Mt. Whitney hiker

A California Highway Patrol helicopter based out of Fresno rescued an injured hiker on Mt. Whitney Monday after the 66-year-old man slipped on ice near the 13,300 foot-level.

The man sustained a major leg injury and was unable to descend. Two members of the Inyo County Sheriff's search and rescue team hiked in to help move the man to a place where the copter could land. He was taken to a hospital in Lone Pine.

Read more here
(Actually that is all they wrote, but please click the link, so they won't start putting the news behind a "paywall")

Re: Another Whitney rescue
Steve C #28844 10/31/12 09:13 AM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 219
Offline
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 219
Steve, was that on the Main Trail or MR?

Re: Another Whitney rescue
nyker #28848 10/31/12 09:30 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
S
Steve C Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
I have no clue. That news item is the only info I can find.

I am assuming it is the main trail, since it was such an easy rescue. Several SAR people just moved him to a pickup point, sounds like the trail. The MR at 13,300', would be middle of the climb to the notch, and would likely require more work to get him to a pickup point. ...but then I could be completely wrong.

Re: Another Whitney rescue
Steve C #28850 10/31/12 10:22 AM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6
What are the conditions like? I'm hiking up Sat/Sunday with a group this weekend with poles but no microspikes/crampons. Is the main trail in good shape? It'll be my first time on Whitney.

Re: Another Whitney rescue
Steve C #28867 10/31/12 07:46 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 582
Offline
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 582
Originally Posted By: Steve C
I have no clue. That news item is the only info I can find.

I am assuming it is the main trail, since it was such an easy rescue. Several SAR people just moved him to a pickup point, sounds like the trail. The MR at 13,300', would be middle of the climb to the notch, and would likely require more work to get him to a pickup point. ...but then I could be completely wrong.


I know it's just semantics, Steve, but there is no such thing as an "easy rescue."

These guys take tremendous risks to both get there, deal with the victim and get out.


Facebook

Flickr Pics

Think outside the Zone.
Re: Another Whitney rescue
MooseTracks #28874 10/31/12 09:28 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
S
Steve C Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
You're right, MooseTracks. I did not mean to trivialize their effort. I know the SAR people give up many days of their lives training and working on searches. And most are volunteers! It's got to be about the toughest volunteer work there can be.

Re: Another Whitney rescue
MooseTracks #28875 11/01/12 05:21 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 6
H
Offline
H
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 6
Originally Posted By: MooseTracks
I know it's just semantics, Steve, but there is no such thing as an "easy rescue."

These guys take tremendous risks to both get there, deal with the victim and get out.


At the recent ExPed Med Conference, one of the points they stressed was avoiding risks to the rescuers.

They gave several examples. One was in the Tetons. A man from New York ignored the roped off area with signs warning of avalanche area. He was reported missing that night by his family. The SARs declined to go look for him because it was night and, duh, in a marked avalanche zone. He did not survive the night. There was a lawsuit. Teton rescue settled the case because it was cheaper than taking it to trial where I cannot imagine they would lose. That guy assumed the risk, and paid the price.


Re: Another Whitney rescue
Harvey Lankford #28896 11/01/12 08:36 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 219
Offline
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 219
This exact point was raised again with surfers and the Hurricane that came through this past week...

http://www.surfermag.com/features/bloomberg-singles-out-surfers/


Re: Another Whitney rescue
nyker #29007 11/06/12 11:07 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
J
Offline
J
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
This happened on the main trail. A buddy and I were descending this way after climbing the E Buttress and found the victim around 5:00pm. The guy blew his knee out and was laying in the snow about 12 switchbacks down from trailcrest and couldn't move. We gave him all the warm gear we had (unfortunately no sleeping bags bc we were dayhiking) and then flaked our rope out on the snow and put one of our backpacks down on top of that, insulating him as much as possible from the snow. After getting some basic info and helping his wife find warm gear with other overnight campers at trailcamp, we continued to hike out. We made it to the car around 8:15 and called 911. I guess rescuers got to him sometime after 10 that night (which leads me to believe somebody was able to get cell reception at trailcrest and start the rescue effort process before we even made it back to the car). It took 6 hours to get him to trail camp where he was airlifted out around 4am. Heard back from the guy and he obviously made it out ok, said he would have to have surgery on the knee.

Re: Another Whitney rescue
Jake #29008 11/07/12 12:20 AM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
S
Steve C Offline OP
OP Offline
S
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,507
Likes: 103
Way to go, Jake!

Too bad for the fellow with the bad knee! But then fortunate for him that good people like you came along to help. There just aren't that many people on the trail at this time of year, and especially at that time of day. ...your being there might just have saved his life!

Thanks so much for the report and thanks twice as much for giving all the help you could.

Re: Another Whitney rescue
sbhiker123 #29053 11/10/12 02:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 5
Offline
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 5
Originally Posted By: sbhiker123
What are the conditions like? I'm hiking up Sat/Sunday with a group this weekend with poles but no microspikes/crampons. Is the main trail in good shape? It'll be my first time on Whitney.


With microspikes I summited Oct 15 and was surprised how many people prefer to slip & slide rather than use them. In case you have never been up there, much of the trail is along ledges so microspikes are highly recommended by me.

Have fun bro


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.078s Queries: 36 (0.068s) Memory: 0.6245 MB (Peak: 0.7110 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-29 13:02:11 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS