Helicopter Rescues Injured Hiker From Lower 48's Tallest Peak

Yesterday, Inyo County Search and Rescue shared a video of a helicopter rescue on the lower 48's tallest peak, Mt. Whitney, in eastern central California.

The rescue, which was a success, took place earlier this month on July 5th.

The rescued hiker was attempting Mt. Whitney's Mountaineer Route before slipping, falling, and striking a rock. He suffered a broken ankle and contacted rescuers at 2 AM.

At first light, a team of Inyo County Search and Rescue members departed aboard California Highway Patrol's H-82 helicopter.

By this point, another party had encountered the injured hiker, helping him 300 feet down to an open slope at approximately 13,000 feet. After the helicopter arrived on-scene, a rescuer was lowered from H-82, who assisted in hoisting the injured hiker aboard. Once the hiker was aboard, the rescuer re-entered the helicopter using the same hoist system.

The rescue went off without a hitch, partly due to the efforts of the party who forewent their summit attempt.

"This selfless act helped expedite the extraction of the injured subject, since a hoist would likely not have been possible at his initial location, which would have resulted in a much more complicated and involved rescue," wrote Inyo County Search and Rescue in the Instagram post describing the rescue operation.

The operation wasn't Inyo County Search and Rescue's first in the Californian backcountry this summer. In June, the team responded to an avalanche incident on Hurd Peak that ultimately resulted in the passing of one skier.

After this incident, Inyo County Search and Rescue shared a reminder that dangerous alpine conditions still exist during the warmer months: "Backcountry travelers should be wary of the possibility of summer avalanches."

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