A hiker in California is lucky to be alive after a dramatic rescue from a predicament that could've cost him life or limb. He was exploring the Santa Rita Flat in the Inyo Mountains when, according to Inyo County Search & Rescue, his leg got trapped under a massive boulder, leaving him in desperate need of help.
The organization shared photos from the Dec. 5 effort and recounted just how bad of a bind the adventurer was in before they arrived. "The SAR [search and rescue] team arrived at the hiker’s location well after dark, finding the hiker in great pain with his left leg pinned beneath a large boulder on a steep hillside. Team members estimated the boulder to weigh between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds," a Facebook post described the events. "Using a system of ropes, pulleys, and leverage, the SAR team was able to shift the boulder enough to free the hiker, and assess and stabilize his injuries."
The hiker spent seven hours in total trapped under the incredibly heavy boulder. As a result, he couldn't exactly walk away from the traumatic incident. The cards were stacked against them with unforgiving steep, rocky terrain and limited resources to conduct the rescue, all during a cold, dark night in the desert. Still, the team sprung into action and wasted no time in getting the hiker out of there.
"Due to the seriousness of the hiker’s injuries and the difficulty of the terrain, it was decided to extricate the hiker despite the darkness using a helicopter from U.S. Naval Air Station Lemoore. No suitable helicopter landing zones were near the location, so a U.S. Navy medic rappelled from the helicopter to the scene, and the injured hiker and medic were hoisted into the helicopter and flown to Fresno for treatment after midnight," the team said.
Hiking solo can be a dangerous business, so make sure you're fully prepared to go it alone—and able to access emergency services if needed—before hitting the trail.
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/5mLcl3G
No comments:
Post a Comment