Body recovery
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December 17, 1979 |
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By Pete Carlson
At about
0900 hours team coordinator Al Andrews received a
call from the Elsinore station of the Riverside
County Sheriff's Department. Because of the
steepness of the terrain, our assistance was
needed in bringing a body, of a male in his late
teens, back up to the highway. By 1030 hours we
had enough members to start the evacuation. The
body was about 275 feet below the highway on a 50
degree slope that was densely covered with brush.
Walt Walker and I went down with brush hooks to
clear the way for the wheeled litter, while Larry
Roland saw that all would be in order on top.
Once set up, Craig Beasley lowered the litter
with Kevin Walker and Jim Garvey along side to
guide it down the narrow chute. As they
approached I set a sling around a large boulder
and attached a pulley because we had to make a 45
degree turn to reach the body. We quickly loaded
the body into the litter and then tied it in.
Since the raise was being conducted from a
highway turnout we were able to hook the raise
rope to Joe Erickson's car. Craig Beasley was the
belay and Larry Roland took charge as safety
officer on top. With all in order, we started the
raise. Jim Fairchild and Avery Powers joined the
four of us in guiding the litter as we were
pulled back to the highway. With the sad task
completed, we headed towards Elsinore for lunch,
and then back to work.