Mono SAR Incident 4/21 Dana Plateau (Cocaine Chute)

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Mono Sheriff's Dept:

At 1310 hours the team was activated to a report of an injured skier in Cocaine Chute off of the Dana Plateau. Rescue base was established at Lee Vining Airport and air resources were requested and accepted from CHP - Central Division Air Operations H40 in Fresno. The Team began mission preparations while air resources were enroute. Team 1, a hasty medical team, was picked up by H40 and made multiple passes below and above Cocaine Chute to establish location of subjects.

Upon location of the subjects near the top, Team 1 was inserted above the entrance of Cocaine Chute at an elevation of 11,500ft, and H40 returned to Base to pick up more Mono SAR team members. Based on the subject’s location and reported injuries, Team 1 made the early call for an extended lower. Team 1 dropped in and began to evaluate and treat the subject for a variety of musculoskeletal injuries and a head injury. It was determined the subject's ski binding malfunctioned causing the subject to fall approximately 75' over a series of large exposed rocks near the top.

Teams 2 and 3 were inserted above Cocaine Chute with equipment for an extended sequence of lowers. All teams now together in the field, a mix of rock and snow anchors were built, the subject was packaged in our SKED litter and HPMK, and a 5-pitch lower spanning 3000’ commenced.

There was an initial goal of lowering the subject several pitches to a widening of Cocaine Chute where H40 would be more equipped to attempt a hoist. As evening approached, H40 came in to assess conditions and complete power checks. They quickly determined the conditions, primarily strong downdrafts, would prevent a hoist. They returned to Fresno and the Team activated alternate plans for rescue. Naval Air Station Lemoore SAR airship “Lasso 1,” an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, was contacted and accepted the mission. Team 1 continued their system of lowers down to a predeterminate landing zone (LZ).

Another team of SAR members, Team 4, launched from the bottom of V-bowl, which is currently primarily dirt and talus, with the Team’s titanium litter and Terra Tamer wheel. The plan was to eventually conjoin all teams and complete another long series of lowers from the bottom of Cocaine Chute to Highway 120 in case of further poor helicopter flying conditions.

After nightfall, Team 1 reached the LZ and awaited Lemoore SARs arrival. After several passes and power checks, Lemoore SAR set down and the patient was quickly onboarded and flown to CRMC in Fresno. All Team members began the long descent from Cocaine Chute apron, down V-bowl, arriving to Poole Power Plant Rd and, ultimately, rescue base at LV airport around 2400 hrs.

The Team is grateful for a successful rescue and greatly appreciates our air partners CHP - Central Division Air Operations & Naval Air Station Lemoore. As an arm of the Mono County Sheriff's Office, the Team is also incredibly grateful for all of the behind the scenes work our sergeant and deputy coordinators put in for a successful outcome.

Mono SAR is a 501(c)3 all-volunteer nonprofit team of mountain rescue professionals dedicated to our community. We are community funded and community driven. If you’d like to make a donation to Mono SAR, visit our website at https://www.monosar.org/donate.
Sunday April 21st, 2024 24-182 #12