Search and Rescue Team lends aid to injured hiker along the PCT

Date:      July 30, 2015
Subject: Search and Rescue Team Operation    

On Monday, July 27, 2015, the Mono County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a call regarding an injured hiker along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

A female hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail, at Lake Harriet, approximately 18 miles east of Bridgeport, called for help using a satellite phone.  She had sustained an ankle injury and was unable to hike out of her current location along the trail. The Mono County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was dispatched to assist.

Due to the extreme distance from the nearest trailhead, the Mono County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team requested the assistance of a California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter to extract the hiker from the backcountry.  Due to steep terrain, the helicopter was unable to land near the hiker. The helicopter flew to Bridgeport to pick up additional fuel and also requested a SAR Team rescue member to be available for insertion into the field.  The SAR Team member was taken by helicopter to the hiker’s location and lowered by the helicopter’s cable hoist to the ground near the injured hiker.  The hiker was hoisted up to the helicopter and taken to Bridgeport for evaluation by Mono County Paramedics. 

The Mono County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team thanks the California Highway Patrol for their assistance and the use of the H20. - Jennifer M. Hansen, Public Information Officer