Highlights of The Year 2007

Compiled from Newsletters by Webmaster

The following accounts of field operations are the best efforts of the newsletter editor, are NOT official reports, and may have errors and omissions, for which apologies and regrets are expressed in advance.

January

Steve Case was honored by the Mammoth Rotary Club as Volunteer of the Year for his good work on the SAR Team.

Dan Corning was elected to Rescue Member status at the January Team meeting.

January 21, 2007. 07-053 #1. Konrad Klebicki from Culver City, California became separated from his family around 1430 while skiing Mammoth Mountain. Ski Patrol and family members searched for two hours and then asked for help from the SAR team. As the team was responding, Ski Patrol located the subject in the chair 25 area, unharmed. He was brought back to Canyon Lodge and reunited with his father. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Michalski, Hronesh, and DeGeorge.

February

Dadre Albaugh was elected to Rescue Member status at the February Team meeting.

February 22, 2007. Injured snowmobiler near Leavitt Lake. It was a snowmobile vs. tree encounter, with a head puncture wound, but not a serious injury. A medical doctor happened to be on scene early and did the initial assessment. Marines from MWTC handled the case for us.

March

March 11 & 12, 2007. 07-176 #2. The Team was called out to respond to Gull Lake for a missing diver. The missing diver was identified as Michael Dahan from Thousand Oaks, California. The incident began with two divers under the ice. Dahan was in the process of instructing Evan DeWitt in under ice diving, altitude, and dry suit diving for DeWitt's PADI certification. They were paired, with Dahan swimming untethered next to DeWitt, who was tethered to Mike Cooper acting as surface tender at the entry hole.

They were conducting their last dive of the day and collected some crayfish on the bottom in about 28 feet of water under 16 inches of lake ice and snow. Visibility was 10 feet to 12 feet right under the ice, less than 10 feet at about 15 feet deep, and about 10 feet on the bottom. They had about 100 to 150 feet of line out away from their entry hole toward the end of the dive. DeWitt and Dahan compared dive computers and each had about 200 pounds of air remaining. They signaled each other to go up and return to the entry hole.

Dewitt believed Dahan had signaled that he would swim back to the hole underneath DeWitt. He last saw Dahan near his left side when they were near the bottom. Dewitt swam an upward angle back toward the hole. Halfway back and in about 10 feet depth he noticed Dahan was not with him, but he had to continue to return to the hole due to low air supply.

Dewitt waited about one minute at the hole then donned an extra B.C. with about 500 pounds remaining. He dove back down and returned to where he last saw Dahan. He was unable to locate him and returned again to the hole. He remained at the hole as Cooper went to the phone at the June Lake Sheriff's station to call 911.

Cooper and DeWitt estimated that Dahan's air supply would have been exhausted in 10 to 15 minutes while they attempted the rescue attempt, including the time taken to contact the Sheriff's dispatch center.

Deputies Estridge and DeGeorge arrived with diving gear and began under ice search for Dahan at about 1443. Only one diver was submerged for each dive, with the other as backup. Water conditions and natural lighting allowed about 12 feet of visibility. The bottom was not visible.

After entering the water they visually checked the surrounding area in a 360 degree sweep from the hole. During the dives each checked the area immediately under the ice swimming in a tethered fan pattern beginning from the hole and extending out toward the point last seen. Only the area immediately visible under the ice was checked. After three dives they were unable to locate the victim.

On Monday March 12, a dive team from San Bernardino arrived with a sonar and underwater cameras. The deceased victim was located by a camera in 16 to 20 feet of water. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Schmidt, Michalski, Merchant, Beck, Chapman, Senior, Corning, Case, Christine DeGeorge, Weatherly, and Pete DeGeorge.

April

All is quiet in the Eastern Sierra.

May

May 26, 2007. 07-386 #3. Lai Lee Chan from Irvine California was at Crystal Lake with family members on a day hike. Other members of her hiking party were playing with a tree branch when it slipped from their grasp and struck the subject in the head.

Mono County SAR was called out since the subject was unable to hike out on her own. The Team transported the victim from Crystal Lake to the Lake George parking lot via wheeled letter. She was taken by Medic-3 to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Enright (Ops), Ciccarrelli, Michalski, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, Leyen, Holmquist, Hansen, Case, Merchant, and Hall.

June

June 5, 2007. 07-417 #4. Jonna Lanigan from San Diego, California was hiking near Minaret Summit and attempted to walk out via the San Joaquin Ridge but instead headed down the bike trail heading east from Minaret Summit. She called 911 when she realized she was lost. The operations later spoke to the subject via cell phone and determined her location near Obsidian Dome. She was located and transported by the operations leader's POV to her vehicle at Minaret Summit. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and Michalski.

June 25, 2007. 07-490 #5 The Sheriff's Department received a telephone call from Brenda Mannina, from San Jose, who stated that her husband, Hallett, 60, and his friend John Allred, also age 60, were overdue from a hike, which started at Mono Village. The hikers were scheduled to be traversing from the area of Horse Creek to the Sawtooth Ridge, and then head over to Burro Pass.

Hallett Mannina telephoned his wife on a satellite phone, and advised her that they were at 11,000 feet in elevation and believed that they were lost. While the team was enroute to the Bridgeport area, both overdue hikers arrived at the Virginia Lakes Resort in good health. Responders were: Greene (ops)

June 25, 2007. 07-492 #6. United States military satellites began receiving radio signals from an emergency personal locator beacon (PLB) in the mountains west of Bridgeport, California. The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded to the area, and deployed search teams to attempt to locate the party that had turned on the beacon. Periodic satellite updates indicated the beacon was moving in a northerly direction, but teams were unable to locate anyone in distress.

At approximately 6:30 PM, a campground manager in the Twin Lakes Bridgeport area notified the Sheriff's Department that someone staying in his campground had a PLB and may be the person the Sheriff's Department had been attempting to locate. Sheriff Department personnel interviewed Scott Tilzey of Reno, Nevada, and discovered that he had accidentally activated the emergency beacon while attempting to test the unit prior to his hike that day. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Beck, Case, Chapman, Corning, Hall, Holmquist, Anne Knoche, Craig Knoche, Lemon, Merchant, Michalski, Pavlovsky, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, and Schmidt.

Read more about PLB's here and this article The Danger Of A Life Saving Device

July

Marie Pavlovsky is our newest Rescue Member, having completed her Candidate ladder quickly, and was elected at the July Team meeting.

Thanks to Anne Knoche for developing a cheat sheet for computer programs Topo! Terrain Navigator.

WE GET LETTERS

This time we have a lot of letters from people expressing their appreciation for what the team does. Just in case you ever wondered if what we do is worth your time - this ought to make you proud.

July 14, 2007 to Mono County Search and Rescue.
Enclosed is a check for $200. This donation is thanks to your organization for all of your hard work and dedication from the Lee Vining Xi Phi Tau Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. Signed - Bea Lambert, President.

July 24, 2007, from Duane Mahan to Bill Greene and the Team.
On July 13, 2007 I was dirt bike riding with a friend just South of Mono Lake. We were in a deep sand wash. I fell 3 times and had to pick up my bike, the third time was too much for my heart. My friend went for help, and this is where you came to my rescue.

After being airlifted to Mammoth and stabilized it through your root flew me to Reno for further care. The next day my nurse told me that if I had been out there much longer I would not have survived. I am so grateful that people like you and your organization are there at desperate times. My daughter has 18-month-old triplets. Thanks for the chance you gave me to watch them grow up. I would like to make a $500 donation to your organization with heartfelt gratitude. Thanks for saving my life. Signed - Duane Mahan.

Dear Mono County Search and Rescue,
Thank you for the wonderful support and actions of your team. You literally saved my life. Everyone was so kind and generous. I cannot thank you enough! It was amazing how many people offered to help me and how they were willing to give up their time to help out! The Search and Rescue program is so amazing. I would love to volunteer with a program like yours when I'm older. Thank you again, all of your volunteers are amazing and wonderful! Signed - Courtney Hann.

Thank you for saving my daughter's life.
I am sorry we're a little late in sending a thank you but we wanted to send a check and it has taken forever to pay off the ambulance bills! We will definitely remember to acclimate before hiking in the Sierra again. Thanks for being such an awesome group! Signed - Denise, Mike, Courtney, and Mirada Hann.

July 24, 2007 Dear valued volunteers,
A few weeks back the search and rescue team at Mammoth rescued Richard Gattra, a member of our backpacking group, when it became apparent that he could not go any farther on the trail. I would like to thank you all again for your valiant efforts. And if rescuing him was not enough, you even went back out the next day and recovered his pack that I had hidden. You are all incredible!

When the whole thing got started we figured we could get out, find a Ranger and he or she would have someone on a horse go back and pick him up. Talk about not keeping up with the times! I was truly amazed at what transpired. I really didn't expect so many people would be working together to accomplish his rescue. It is truly something we will never forget. Attached is a check to help support this incredible program. Thanks again, signed - Bill Yocum.

July 1 & 2, 2007. 07-527 #7. Elizabeth Warren, 54, of Mammoth Lakes, was hiking with a friend above Laurel Lake up Bloody Couloir.

At 11,700 feet, Warren slid 80 feet down the snow and tumbled another 15 feet down the talus, shattering her ankle. Her friend called 911 for help via cell phone.

Field teams drove up Laurel Canyon Road then hiked up Bloody Couloir to the victim. After stabilization of the ankle, the victim began complaining of hip pain. She was put into a full vacuum splint, and oxygen administered.

The rescue required multiple pitches of low angle technical lowering down 1800 feet of steep and loose boulders from the initial location at latitude 37" 33.79' North, longitude 118" 54.6' West.

It was dark by the time they got to the bottom of the snow slope.

Following the lowering, the victim was carried down the old mine trail to vehicles near Laurel Lakes.

She was treated there by a Medic-3 EMT, and then transported to Laurel Creek Road in Bill Greene's truck, and to Mammoth Hospital by Medic-3 ambulance.

During the stabilization and lowering operations there were numerous occurrences of rockfall.

Helicopters from Fallon Naval Air Station and California Highway Patrol responded but due to the rockfall danger could not be used.

Responders were: Enright (Ops), Gilbreath (Ops), Rudolph, Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Beck, Schmidt, Holmquist, Hansen, Corning, Craig Knoche, Anne Knoche, Michalski, Greene, Leyen, Case, Greg Dallas, Hall, and Senior.

July 3, 2007. 07-532 #8. Maddy Bush from Minnesota was hiking on a 7 day loop trip out of Twin Lakes as part of a leadership training adventure group, and due to a severely blistered and bleeding foot was unable to walk beyond Upper Piute Meadow.

The Team responded to the Sheriff's Office to stand by for fly-in. Meantime, the Forest Service helicopter was able to locate the victim, and extracted her to the Bridgeport airport. Medic-2 transported her to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Michalski (Ops), Beck, Craig Knoche, Lemon, Case, Holmquist, Aguirre, Pavlovsky, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, and Greene.

July 6, 2007. 07-547 #9. Hans Gustaf Thern was crystal hunting in the Parker Lake Canyon with a friend when they became separated from each other. The RP requested help in locating his friend, and the SAR responded to the Parker Lake trailhead. While gathering information from the RP at the trailhead, the subject walked out, unharmed. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Case, Pavlovsky, Lemon, Schmidt, Holmquist, Zila, Michalski, Gilbreath, and Craig Knoche.

July 12, 2007. 07-578 #10. Richard Gattra from San Diego was backpacking with friends near Purple Lake when he began complaining of shortness of breath and not feeling well.

The subject attempted to hike out very slowly, but only made it as far as the PCT trail junction.

He was located by the field teams and evacuated by CHP H40 helicopter to the Forest Service helicopter pad at Mammoth.

He was transported by Medic-3 to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Michalski (Ops), Craig Knoche, Anne Knoche, Pavlovsky, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, Holmquist, Schmidt, Greene, Weatherly, Case, Beck, and Merchant.

July 13, 2007. 07-580 #11. Candice Richards Diedrich was reported overdue from a car trip which included the Tioga Pass Road. The car was located below the Tioga Pass road at Blue Slide. The sole occupant of the vehicle was confirmed deceased by County paramedics. The Team lowered the victim to the bottom of the slope and carried her out to the SCE power plant. Responders were: Enright (Ops), Greene, Rudolph, Carole Schilz, Brad Schilz, Pavlovsky, Beck, Holmquist, Schmidt, Craig Knoche, and Corning.

July 13, 2007. 07-581 #12. Duane Mahan from Paramount, CA. and a friend were riding motorcycles south of Mono Lake when Mr. Mahan began experiencing chest pains. The friend called for help and SAR personnel responded to the scene using GPS coordinates provided by the RP. CHP helicopter H40 arrived just as the SAR Team reached the subject.

H40 landed nearby, loaded the subject, and transported him to the Mammoth Lakes Forest Service helipad. Paramedics transferred Mr. Mahan to Mammoth Hospital by ambulance. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and Rudolph.

July 22, 2007. No case number. Zohar Zimmerman, 16, became separated from his family while hiking in the Lake George area - due to impaired vision. The Team responded, and determined from family members that Zohar had been found. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Michalski, Holmquist, and Anne Knoche.

July 31, 2007. #13. OES requested mutual aid for Yosemite National Park in the search for a missing 80 year old female hiker in the general area of Tuolumne Meadows. After many days of searching she has not yet been found, and the search has been suspended. Responders were: Corning and Merchant.

August

CFO Daniel Hansen's ink and toner cartridge recycling program has yielded $1,127 so far this year. Big Attaboy to Daniel.

August 2, 2007. 07-624 #14. Tyler Baker, 15, was backpacking with his father and grandfather below Rainbow Falls. After setting up their camp Tyler injured his left ankle while stepping rock to rock crossing a stream. The injury occurred at approximately 11 a.m..

The Team responded and splinted the leg and evacuated Tyler by wheeled litter to Rainbow Falls trailhead. Medic-3 took charge of the patient and transported him to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Enright (Ops), Gilbreath (Ops), Anne Knoche, Craig Knoche, Michalski, Greene, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, Hansen, Beck, and DeGeorge.

August 3, 2007. 07-629 #15. Arthur Seibel from Huntington Beach, California, injured his knee while hiking near Garnet Lake on the afternoon of August 2. The next morning the subject's brother hiked to the East end of Garnet Lake and called for help via cell phone, reporting that brother was unable to put any weight on the leg.

The SAR Team responded and requested helicopter support. CHP helicopter H70 responded to the lake, and flew the subject to Mammoth Airport. Medic-3 ambulance transferred the subject to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Craig Knoche, and Brad Schilz.

August 4, 2007. #16. OES requested mutual aid for Yosemite National Park to aid in the search for a personal locator beacon (PLB) signal that the satellites had picked up in the vicinity of Tuolumne Meadows. By the time the Team arrived on the scene with our ELT receivers, the missing hiker was located back in Mammoth Lakes. It was another case of accidental activation of the PLB. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and Corning.

August 11, 2007. 07-649 #17. Phillip Collins, 71, from Jackson, Ca, was on a backpack trip near Garnet Lake, when he became unable to hike due to complications arising from his insulin dependent diabetic condition. CHP helicopter H40 was able to land nearby so he could be checked by their paramedic. He was then flown to Mammoth Airport where he was met by Medic-3 and transported to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Michalski (Ops), Brenninkmeyer, Jim Lemon, and Greg Dallas.

August 12, 2007. 07-655 #18. A backpacker out of Leavitt Meadows was a slow hiker, fell behind his group, and missed a trail turn. He was reported missing by two RPs in person at the Sheriff's Office. Barry Beck interviewed them there, and determined the PLS (Place Last Seen).

They had left another member of their party at Mono Village in the Cafe in case the subject came out on his own. He did, and when Barry called was in the process of eating a cheeseburger and drinking a beer.

USFS backcountry rangers were informed, and located the remaining hiker to put his mind at ease, who then continued his trip as planned. Responders were: Michalski, (Ops), Beck (Ops), Corning, Holmquist, Lenore Lemon, Brenninkmeyer, Schmidt, and Case.

August 12, 2007. 07-656 #19. Geoff Loyns from Minden, Nevada was piloting a German Ventus BM powered sailplane during a competition beginning Friday August 10. He was about 80 miles outbound from Minden at about 3 p.m. when he was last heard from on the aircraft radio. He was at about 17,000 feet and doing okay at that point. No other radio calls were heard and when he did not call in or return on Friday evening the alarm was raised early on Saturday.

The soaring weather conditions were not good on Friday - mediocre lift and moderate SW winds with almost no clouds. These are conditions for turbulence. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) did a route search on Saturday. On Sunday private pilots found wreckage about 2 miles West of Boundary Peak in trees at 10,300 feet. Fallon NAS helicopter responded, did a one-skid landing, and confirmed the pilot was deceased.

Two SAR field teams were flown in by Fallon helo, and the deceased was flown to rescue base near Benton and Highway 6. For an interesting report from a fellow sailplane pilot and friend, click here. Responders were: Michalski (Ops), DeGeorge (IC and Deputy Coroner), Corning, Holmquist, Jim Lemon, Lenore Lemon, Case, Brenninkmeyer, Rudolph, and Schmidt.

August 15 & 16, 2007. 07-668 #20; OES 2007-LAW-0521. Henry Nguyen, 39, of Garden Grove, was reported nine days overdue from a ten-day solo peak bagging trip in the Palisades on the Inyo County/Kings Canyon National Park border. Inyo County began searching for Nguyen on the 15th in conjunction with Park Service efforts in Kings Canyon.

Mono County SAR and China Lake SAR personnel responded to an Inyo request for mutual aid on the 16th. Mono County efforts centered on the Mt Agassiz-Mt Winchell area and The Thumb. On the afternoon of the 16th, Nguyen's bivy site was located in Dusy Basin, and his body was found soon thereafter on Isosceles Peak by Yosemite personnel. Responders were: Holmquist, and Schmidt.

August 15, 2007. 07-674 #21. Gary Miller, 51, of San Diego, developed a rapid heart rate and symptoms similar to acute mountain sickness while hiking out of Devils Postpile towards the Granite Staircase. He called for assistance via satellite phone, and the SAR team, Devils Postpile rangers, and Mono County paramedics were dispatched.

Shortly thereafter, Miller was picked up by a passing horseman, and the SAR team was directed to stand down. Miller was transported by stock to the Postpile, where he was met by the paramedics for transport. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops), and Schmidt.

August 20 & 21, 2007. 07-678 #22. Don Schmidt, 62, of Fairfield, Iowa, left his hiking partner on the morning of the 20th to climb the ridgeline of Mount Davis, near Island Pass. He was reported overdue that evening by his hiking partner.

The SAR team was activated, and search plans were developed through the night. At dawn, search teams assembled at Minaret Vista for transport to the search area via National Guard Blackhawk, and a CHP helicopter searched the ridgeline.

At 0830, Schmidt encountered campers at Thousand Island Lake and used a cell phone to contact his girlfriend in Iowa to tell her that he was tired but uninjured, and she in turn contacted the SAR team. Schmidt and his hiking partner were reunited at 1000. Schmidt had become disoriented on the ridgeline and had been unable to relocate his camp. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops), Schmidt, Gilbreath, Hansen, Jim Lemon, Corning, Anne Knoche, Leyen, and Beck.

August 21, 2007. 07-679 #23. A sixteen year-old female runner was reported three hours overdue from a trail run in the McCloud Lake area, near Horseshoe Lake. A Mammoth Lakes Police Department officer was dispatched to locate the reporting party, and the SAR team was activated. The runner returned before the team arrived on scene. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops), and Jim Lemon.

August 21, 2007. 07-680 #24. Charles Degenkolb, 57, of Putney, Vermont, attempted a climb of Mt Ritter's north face on the 19th with one of his two sons. Degenkolb fell while on the snow portion of the climb, and his crampons dug into the snow, causing him to cartwheel down the slope for 150', severely injuring his ankle.

The two spent that night on a bench off the snow, and in the morning they were joined by the other son. The three slowly moved down the glacier to Lake Catherine and the rest of their equipment on the 20th.

On the morning of the 21st, one son left for help and encountered a party with a cell phone and called for assistance. The Mono County SAR team and a helicopter team from Yosemite National Park were dispatched, and with guidance from Mono County the Yosemite team was able to locate and extract the victim via a short haul system below the helicopter. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops), Schmidt, Hansen, Jim Lemon, Corning, Anne Knoche, Leyen, Beck, Chapman, Enright, and Rudolph.

September

From our Team President Jutta Schmidt: Just a heads up that we're looking at Saturday, September 22, for the annual picnic up at the county park on the north shore of Mono Lake. For the new folks, this is when the Sheriff brings the grill down and puts on a feed. We'll nail down a time later, but it's usually around 4 or 5, with the team meeting a little earlier to do grave-site maintenance for Rick Mosher (at the cemetery down the road). He's the only SAR team member to die in the line of duty in our county. (Pete Schoerner was a team member when he died, but it was on a recreational ice climb.) Bring your red shirts for the team photo. Spouses, children, and dogs welcome. I'll be getting a head count at the team meeting....if you're going to miss the meeting but not the picnic, shoot me an email.

September 1, 2007. 07-715 # 25. John Tom Denton from Simi Valley, California was reported by pack station personnel to be walking down the trail near Gem lake with a compound fracture of an arm.

The SAR team responded and requested assistance from CHP helicopter. The ground teams located Mr. Denton on the trail at Agnew Lake. The helicopter arrived, but the subject and Team decided to walk out to the trailhead. Medic-2 transported the subject to Mammoth hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Beck, Walker, Case, Michalski, Leyen, Schmidt, Pavlovsky, Craig Knoche, Anne Knoche, Hansen, Jim Lemon, and Chapman.

September 3, 2007. 07-728 #26. Craig Knoche was leading a pitch above belayer Barry Beck on the Incredible Hulk, when he fell. The first protection piece pulled out. The second held. Barry caught him but there was a significant ankle injury. Other climbers in the area aided in a long lowering to a safe place.

Barry hiked out and notified the Sheriff's Office. The Team responded, but due to the long hike in and tough terrain for a carryout, stood by while the evacuation was done by a Park Service helicopter from Sequoia National Park. Craig was taken to Crane Flat, and picked up for transport to the hospital by his wife Anne. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Beck, Holmquist, Michalski, Schmidt, Anne Knoche, Jim Lemon, Walker, Leyen, Gilbreath, Rudolph, Case, Chapman, and DeGeorge.

September 4, 2007. 07-730 #27. Jay Oshiro began suffering from HAPE symptoms while camping at Pika Lake. The RP met the subject on the trail while hiking out and notified the S.O. The Team responded and requested Mammoth Fire and EMS personnel to assist.

The Team found the subject slowly walking about a half mile above the Duck Pass trailhead. He was transported by wheeled litter to the trailhead, where Medic-3 transported him to Mammoth Hospital. We have a nice letter from him. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Anne Knoche, Jim Lemon, Holmquist, Michalski, Gilbreath, Case, and Hansen.

We received the following letter from Jay Oshiro. Enclosed please find a donation made to your excellent organization. While backpacking in the Deer Lake and Duck Lake areas of Ansel Adams Wilderness I suffered through an episode of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Several volunteers from the Mono County SAR helped evacuate me to safety.

I want to extend my thanks to your organization and to the volunteers who helped bring me out of the wilderness. I also want to thank the individuals who retrieved a pack that we left at Duck Lake. Organizations like Mono County SAR and its volunteers make all the difference to back country travelers. We are truly grateful for your service. Thanks so much for your time, effort, and dedication. PS I am making a full recovery at sea level..

September 4, 2007. 07-731 #28. An aircraft piloted by Steve Fossett was reported overdue via Nevada OES. The Team assembled at Chalfant Fire Station, and did ELT searches on roads in the area. No signals were detected. Other sites were check as members returned home, including east of Bishop, Swall Meadows, and Sherwin hill. No signals were heard. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), Hansen, Case, Michalski, Jim Lemon, Greene, Brenninkmeyer, Holmquist, and DeGeorge.

September 5, 2007. 07-731 #29. Nevada OES requested a road and canyon vehicle search for Fossett. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Schmidt, and Hansen.

September 8, 2007. 07-731 #30. A possible Fossett clue was reported, and another driving search was done. Responders were: DeGeorge (Ops), Beck, and Michalski.

September 15, 2007. 07-731 #31. The search for Steve Fossett, continued Saturday. Mono County ground teams drove the dirt roads around Bodie and Bridgeport and used binoculars to search steep canyon terrain that might prove difficult to see from the air. Nothing significant was located. Responders were: Beard (Ops), Holmquist, Hansen, Mogg, Corning, Greene, and Deputy Vitter. [Ed Note: Fossett, having not been found, was declared deceased in February 2008 by a court so his estate could be settled. His remains and crashed plane were found on October 1, 2008. Details here. See also New York Times article]

September 16, 2007. 07-757 #32. Ronald Hoggard, 57, of Corcoran, planned to hike to Taft Point, in Yosemite National Park, to take photographs on Friday, September 14th. He did not return. Yosemite began a search and called in other SAR teams for mutual aid, including units from Mono, Fresno, Madera, Marin, Ventura, Tulare, Los Angeles, Mariposa, San Bernardino, China Lake, and Sierra Madre.

On Sunday afternoon, the Mono team located Hoggard's tracks and a shelter that he had constructed, which helped to focus the search to the southwest of the original search area. Hoggard wandered out of the forest on Monday morning where he encountered hikers at Taft Point. He was somewhat dehydrated but otherwise unharmed. Responders were: Enright, and Holmquist

September 22-23, 2007. 07-775 #33. Christina McSparron, 25, of Bishop, and Michelle DeJong, 20, of Crowley, became separated from their climbing group near the Benton Crags off Benton Crossing Road. The two did not return to the trailhead with the rest of their group, and the SAR team was called at 8 PM.

Several search teams were dispatched to search the area along with Mono County Sheriff personnel. One of the SAR teams established verbal contact with McSparron and DeJong just before midnight and soon thereafter found the two women about a quarter mile from the climbing area where they had constructed a makeshift structure. The two were unharmed, and the team escorted them back to the trailhead early on the morning of the 23rd. Responders were: Holmquist (Ops), Schmidt, Jim Lemon, Enright, Case, Chapman, Weatherly, Rousek, Beck, Michalski, Greene, and Christina DeGeorge.

October

Jim Lemon completed all his candidate ladder requirements, and was elected to status as Rescue Member at the October Team meeting.

October 2, 2007. 07-774 #34. Fred Claassen, 46, of Livermore departed Bridgeport in August 2003 on a solo backpacking trip, and he did not return. A large search was mounted, but Claassen has never been located. Last week, the Mono County Sheriffs Office received a report of an object that was seen from a distance along Claassen's route. The SAR team was directed to investigate, and the item was located. However, the object proved to be a chalkbag-- something that Claassen did not own. Responders were: Holmquist (ops), Schmidt, Beck, J Lemon, Corning, Vetter (Madera Co SAR)

October 13, 2007. 07-832 #35. A dirt-biker in Red Wash Gulch in Nevada collided with a rock, and suffered a forehead injury. Bridgeport Fire was able to drive the rough trail and extract him. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Michalski, Pavlovsky, Carole Schilz, and Brad Schilz.

October 23, 2007. 07-848 #36 Kerry Knovak from Nevada slipped on a steep ice field in the Mt. Dana Couloir area, stopping on a ledge. Team members hiked in, but a CHP helicopter was able to access and rescue the victim unassisted. He was flown to Mammoth Airport, and transported to Mammoth Hospital by EMS. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Pavlovsky, Brad Schilz, Carole Schilz, Corning, Holmquist, Schmidt, Jim Lemon, DeGeorge, Craig Knoche, Anne Knoche, Weatherly, and Beck.

November

Brad Schilz completed all his candidate ladder requirements, and was elected to status as Rescue Member at the November Team meeting.

November 10, 2007. 07-891 #37. A hiker began having chest pains and other heart symptoms near Helen Lake. Helicopter support was requested from YOSAR, but due to delay Life Flight was ordered. YOSAR helo got there first, but left so Life Flight could land and transport the victim to a Reno hospital. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Michalski, Brad Schilz, Craig Knoche, and Case.

November 25, 2007. 07-933 #38. Ed Leung and three other persons, aged 16 to 56, became disoriented around the old Mammoth Consolidated Mine site near the Coldwater Trailhead. The group was underdressed and cold and requested assistance. The SAR team was dispatched, but the group found the trailhead and departed before the team arrived on scene. Responders were: Holmquist (ops), Schmidt, Michalski, Greene

December

Our end of year holiday party was held in the upstairs room at Whiskey Creek restaurant, and was an excellent affair with delicious food. Barry Beck's Year in Review video show was a highlight yet again. This takes many many hours of computer work to produce, and we owe you a lot of gratitude for doing this, Barry.

Each year, the Mono County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team honors members for their individual excellence and public service.

The team's highest honor, election to status as a Lifetime Member, is only rarely conferred by the team to a Rescue Member who has made unusual, faithful and regular contributions to the team and the welfare of victims over a significant number of years.

Bill Greene received the honor this year at the team's annual dinner on December 11, 2007.

During the past 10 years, records show that Bill has participated in 286 search or rescue missions, 157 trainings and 81 meetings, for a total of 524 team events. This is an enormous voluntary commitment of time and talent to the County and the team, and that's only the recorded stuff! He has also been an important mentor to newer members of the team. This year he has served as mission planner and operations leader 19 times.

The numbers are impressive, but even more impressive is Bill's versatility and dependability. It is striking to note the many things Bill has accomplished. There are many letters from victims and families thanking him for what he has done and his kindness to them. He has consistently followed up on injured victims. visiting them in the hospital. and keeping in contact later. Bill is all about excellence, and his concern has always been for the subjects and victims and team safety.

The SAR Team gives two awards each year to honor members who have excelled. The team's main honor for achievement is the Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year Award, named in memory of a beloved teammate who was killed in an ice climbing accident in 1996.

The Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year for 2007 is Craig Knoche. Craig serves the team as a Board of Directors member, Team Secretary. He participated in 71 team events in 2007, including 13 field operations. Since 2001, Craig has served the County on 240 team events, including 92 rescues and searches. He has a wide variety of mountaineering skills, and is one of the team's key players in all types of missions, as well as the team's primary teacher for field medical skills. He is also an important mentor to newer folks on the team.

New members in training are called Candidate Members, and must undergo training, practice and testing in 18 skill categories before being considered for advancement to Rescue Member. Examples of these skills include first aid and victim care, tracking, technical rescue, mountain navigation, helicopter operations and skill with electronic aids such as computers, radios, avalanche transceivers and GPS receivers. Completion of all requirements takes a lot of dedication and faithfulness over a period that is typically a year or more.

The team honors one candidate member each year with the Rick Mosher Candidate Member of the Year Award. Rick Mosher is the only team member to have died in the line of duty, killed while on spotter duty in a small airplane that crashed during an operation on August, 15, 1979.

This year the team selected Brad Schilz as the Rick Mosher Candidate Member of the Year. Brad has been very active and faithful in both his training and in rescue operations, and has recently advanced to Rescue Member status. He has participated in 62 team events, including 11 rescues since he began his training.

Barry Beck did a great job of producing the video of the Team's 2007 highlights. It took many many hours to put that together. DVDs are available.

The annual Board of Directors election was held at the December meeting. Thanks to outgoing Board Member John Hronesh for his years of excellent service to the Team. Those elected (or re-elected) to the Board are Greg Enright, Dave Michalski, Daniel Hansen, and Steve Case.

Board officers for 2008 are Jutta Schmidt - President (and Chief Pinata), Jeff Holmquist - Vice President, Daniel Hansen - Chief Financial Officer, Barry Beck - Training Officer, Craig Knoche - Secretary, and Dave Michalski - Equipment Officer.

Thanks to Brian Brenninkmeyer for building a rack for avalanche poles in the trailer.

Probably the best news in a long time is that the new Rescue 3 Ford F450 diesel 4WD rescue truck is in service. Many thanks go to lots of people in the Sheriff's Office, County purchasing, and some Team members for making this happen. Equipment Officer Dave Michalski has done a great job of planning and organizing where everything goes in the numerous compartments. If you haven't yet been trained for the new vehicle, contact Dave. There is a lot to learn! Please note that this wonderful vehicle is both wider and heavier than anything we have used previously, so keep that in mind.

December 29-30, 2007. 07-1105 #39. Patrick Healy from Santa Margarita was last seen by his father snowboarding at the top of Chair 14 about 1 PM, and did not return before closing time. MMSA Ski Patrol conducted sweeps of the Chair 14 area and the ski areas boundary. SAR teams searched the Pumice Flat and Sotcher Lake areas, and the Turkey Gulch from the top. A snowboard track was found in the gulch and Mr. Healy was found a short time later. He was cold but not injured. He was guided to the Sotcher Lake area on snowshoes where he was picked up by a MMSA snowcat and transported to Main Lodge. Responders were: Enright (Ops), Holmquist, Schmidt, Greene, Craig Knoche, Anne Knoche, Brenninkmeyer, Michalski, Beck, Greg Dallas, Petra Dallas, Merchant, Weatherly, and Leyen.