A hiker endured a harrowing seven-hour ordeal with his legs trapped beneath an estimated 10,000-pound boulder in California’s Inyo Mountains until rescue efforts successfully freed him, officials reported.
The Inyo County Search and Rescue, a volunteer organization, responded to a call from the local sheriff’s office on December 5 after being alerted about the stranded hiker near Independence, according to a news release from the organization.
Assisted by a California Highway Patrol helicopter and the sheriff’s office, rescuers reached the hiker below the Santa Rita Flat after nightfall, discovering him in “great pain,” as stated by the Inyo County Search and Rescue.
The hiker’s left leg was pinned beneath a large boulder on a steep hillside, estimated to weigh between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds, authorities reported.
To facilitate his liberation, rescuers employed a system involving “ropes, pulleys, and leverage” to shift the massive boulder.
Due to the severity of the hiker’s injuries and the challenging terrain, the decision was made to extract him despite the darkness, utilizing a helicopter from the US Naval Air Station Lemoore, according to the release.
However, suitable helicopter landing zones were lacking near the rescue site. A U.S. Navy medic descended from the helicopter to the scene, successfully extracting the injured hiker, who was then flown to Fresno for treatment after midnight.
The hiker’s identity remains undisclosed, and there is no information available regarding his current condition.
Inyo County Search and Rescue emphasized the complexity of the mission, citing loose rocky terrain, limited resources for moving the sizable boulder, and the need to attend to the hiker’s health during the hours of waiting in the chilly December darkness.
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The extensive rescue operation concluded with the search and rescue team returning to its base in Bishop, signing out at 4 a.m. local time.