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Inyo County Sheriff News Release – HIKER RESCUED IN OVERNIGHT, MULTI-AGENCY MISSION DECEMBER 6, 2023
Sierra Wave Media
Eastern Sierra News for April 14, 2025
Here is a detailed and well written article from the SF Chronicle regarding this incident:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/article/california-mountains-rock-18549703.php
We are fortunate to have a dedicated and experienced SAR team. The rescued party was well prepared for a day hike. The friend who reported the injury was instrumental in stabilizing the victim. As far as I know there is no charge for a response. That should be the case with this particular incident.
Years ago I was working with a trail maintenance project near the JMT and a small boulder being moved for a trail step nearly ran over one of our volunteers. Our fault but nobody was hurt. Things happen…and can happen quickly.
Straight outa REI
according to the ny times, “He was digging in the sand of the steep hillside, about a foot below the boulder, when it dislodged and rolled down, ramming straight into him.” What was he doing digging under a boulder? Was he a pothunter looking for artifacts in a rock shelter? Why didn’t anyone ask him? What god reason is there for undermining a boulder in the national forest?
quacque
I’m sure someone did ask him maybe what he was doing and how it happened…
But that doesn’t mean he had to answer them or their questions,or,if he did, tell the truth about what he was doing .
But for whatever reason he was doing it,not too smart,and just ANOTHER kind of different incident where our travelers up here just don’t show a lot of common sense.
Digging under a large boulder perched on a hillside can be a bad idea…
There seems to be a huge increase in calls to Search and Rescue in the past couple of years. Many of these calls are from people who seem unprepared even for a day hike. Family members are calling the Sheriff when people are only a few hours overdue, didn’t bring a jacket, have no food, etc..
This story relates tremendous risk to all the rescuers, including the helicopter pilots and crew flying in the mountains after dark. A friend of mine lost his Father at a young age because he was trying to rescue someone. I am surprised we haven’t lost anyone yet.
Additionally, I am curious if these people are receiving bills for the services rendered? Or this is all funded by public donations?
I for one am not interested in giving SAR money to save people who should get a Darwin Award, although they do a very good job. How can these rescuees be educated without paying the ultimate price, or causing someone else to pay?
Look, I know it’s some folks favorite thing to greet every backcountry rescue with smugness and concern about money, but you could bother to inform yourself with about 2 seconds on the very same internet you’re using to post.
SAR missions average out to about 50/year in Inyo–pretty low given the millions of visitors (which the county economy depends on). No doubt calls increased over the last three years–visitation increased.
A quick glance at Inyosar.com (not too hard to google), explains that they are a non-profit volunteer outfit that partners with the Sheriff’s Dept. Volunteers don’t cost you money, and they will be helping people whether you think they deserve it or not.
If the Sheriff has to use dept resources and the rescued is a CA resident, the Sheriff can bill the rescued person’s county for reimbursement. If a helicopter is used it will be a state or federal crew that are already budgeted and paid for. Your cost as a taxpayer for these missions adds up to thousandths of a cent. Which is a good deal for saving a life!
You think its a good idea to need to be rescued for your stupidity? A state or federal crew “already budgeted and paid for” by who? Not the idiot that needs rescued. And then, at the top of my list, the risk to rescuers life and limb, you did not address that.
Bill “that person’s county” ? Where does that money come from? Grows on trees?
Hans
Seems kinda like “ask a parent” thinks, when SAR is called and arrives at a scene, before they do maybe life-saving measures and transport ,they should hover over the victim and ask for $$$ before they procede with anything…this is what SAR CHOSE to get involved with and do….not a way to make money for the County or themselves and cash-out from someone…and .if the Owens Valley weeded-out those with no common sense from coming up here to recreate,maybe making bad decisions,or needing help, we’d be living in an all but tourist-free area…
Please don’t think it’s always tourists. While they may be the MAJORITY, I’ve seen plenty of local folks behaving badly in the outdoors, whether fishing, hiking, or just driving off road. Some locals lack “common sense” too.
Most people would celebrate the fact that someone who was suffering was saved from certain death at relatively low risk and low cost.
At any rate, all your questions can be answered if you can be bothered to type in a search bar.
inyosar.com (you can even email them questions!)
If you want to know how inter-agency and inter-county assistance and billing work in CA, here’s the guide:
https://www.caloes.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/Law-Enforcement/Documents/Green-Book_LEMA-Search-and-Rescue-Annex.pdf
If you are concerned about how much SAR costs you or Inyo County taxpayers, it’s so little that it doesn’t even have a line item in the Sheriff’s budget.
If you’re concerned about the cost of helicopters, in this case the military crews need practice to maintain proficiency so the taxpayers actually get a bonus for the money they already allocated for training flight time: real-world experience and a life saved. In the case of state air resources, we have lots of them because there are 30 million people here and we have major natural hazards like earthquakes and fires, so sparing a tiny fraction of that capacity (to save a life!) is not busting the budget.
As to your questions: bad things happen to smart people too. Should SAR consult with you to see if you think a victim is smart enough to warrant rescue?
One of the most important safety protocols in SAR work is to keep yourself and your partners safe because you can’t rescue someone if you’re injured. These folks aren’t doing cowboy stuff out there, which is why you don’t read about SAR people dying or getting maimed very often (and why relatively straightforward extractions can take a long time. According to the Mountain Rescue Association there have been four deaths since 2000, all in one plane crash on Denali. That’s not to downplay the hard work and competence of volunteers, but good protocols have made it pretty safe!
Happy New Year!
Well said. People love to jump to conclusions without having all the facts.