High Sierra Topix

At approximately 7:30PM on Saturday, October 3, Inyo Search and Rescue received multiple calls for assistance on the Mt Whitney trail. The reports that initially came in were unclear; nonetheless it was clear that assistance was definitely needed.

With additional help arriving from China Lake Mountain Rescue, and clearer reports coming in about what was happening on the mountain, the teams began to ascend the trail. At about 4:00AM the team met up with two hypothermic patients, a husband and wife, about one quarter mile below Trail Camp. Other people on the mountain had already begun to do what they could to help the couple by providing warm layers and shelter. The couple was prepared for a day hike only and did not have the supplies to be out overnight. Once the SAR team arrived they were successful in helping the couple to eat some food in order to regain energy.

Meanwhile, a third patient was found to be safe and resting comfortably in a tent at Outpost Camp; hikers from another group had taken this patient in and were going to assist him down the trail in the morning.

All night there was lightning far to the east and west, and around 5:00AM the clouds started to build over the Sierra Nevada. Soon the team and patients were in the clouds. Sequoia-Kings Helicopter 552 arrived in the area at about 10:00AM, but just as they arrived the clouds dropped into the canyon, preventing the helicopter from landing.

Luckily by this time the patients had improved enough to be able to start walking with a little help. A second team arrived from China Lake and started up the trail, while the first two teams began to descend the trail with the patients. The patients arrived safely in the Whitney Portal parking lot by 2:00PM.

A big thank you goes out to Inyo SAR members, and China Lake Mountain Rescue!