A daring rescue unfolded in the remote wilderness of Mono County as a CHP - Valley Division Air Operations helicopter crew, known as H-20, responded to a distress call from an injured backcountry skier. According to a social media post by the unit, the Mono County Sheriff's office had requested their assistance in what turned out to be a challenging operation due to rugged terrain and fierce winds.
Initially, the mission saw complications with the crew encountering near-vertical slopes and gusts that rendered a hoist rescue unviable. Communicating via satellite phone, the stranded skier was directed to a more accessible spot for extraction. Not shying away from the difficulties, the H-20 crew first flew by to scope out the area, and picked up an El Dorado County Fire HRT member en route to lend their expertise to the operation.
The rescue team made a calculated decision to land the helicopter in an adjacent meadow, dispatching two Mono County Search and Rescue (SAR) technicians who traversed the mountainous landscape on skis to reach the injured party. The post detailed how the technicians "skied to the injured skier and assisted them back to the aircraft." The patient was thereafter securely flown to safety, handed off to awaiting ground medics who provided further care.
The skier's companions were able to self-evacuate, skiing back to the Twin Lakes trailhead. Celebrating the joint effort, the CHP - Valley Division Air Operations underscored the importance of "teamwork, adaptability, and safety" in making such rescues successful.
