Ops12-506 Injured Climber Crystal Crag
August 18, 2012

The SAR Team responded to a call for help for a 28 year old Crystal Crag climber from the Bay Area. While climbing, he pulled off a large rock, which struck his right leg, resulting in a femur fracture. A local physician was climbing nearby, and assisted in his on-scene care.

Mono County Paramedics, Mammoth Lakes Fire units and 12 SAR team members responded to the call, staging at Lake George. Ground teams gathered equipment for a technical rescue and hiked in to the base of the crag. A Paramedic and SAR team members then climbed the rock face approximately 200' to the victim's location.

His leg was splinted and he was placed in a litter. Following the technical lowering, he was carried out to Lake George, to a waiting ambulance. He was taken to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Gilbreath, Dodson, Robertson, Leyen, French, Holmquist, Barnum, Cogan, DeGeorge, Hall, Ropke, and Guffey.

The Scene - Team Climbing to Subject
The Scene - Team climbing to subject

Team climbing to subject
Team climbing to subject

Climbing to the subject was aided by climbers with the subject having ropes they could drop to the team members for an upper belay.

Team climbing to subject
Team climbing to subject

Team climbing to subject
Team climbing to subject

The route for lowering was about 200 feet
The route for lowering was about 200 feet

Ops 12-506 Crystal Crag - rigging the litter
Rigging the litter

Starting the lowering process
Starting the lowering process

Ops 12-506 Crystal Crag - lowering
Lowering

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Lowering continues
Lowering continues
The subject was located in an area with no flat surfaces and had to be slid  into the litter
The subject was located in an area with no flat surfaces and had to be slid into the litter

Preparing to hoist the litter to the subject's location
Preparing to hoist the litter to the subject's location

Starting the lowering process
Starting the lowering process

Ops 12-506 Crystal Crag - lowering
Lowering

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Lowering continues
Lowering continues

Ops 12-506 Crystal Crag - lowering
Lowering nears the bottom

Ops 12-506 Crystal Crag - preparing to transport on wheeled litter
Preparing to transport on wheeled litter

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