Search Overdue Backpacker

Written by Ralph Hoetger

Christmas is never ordinary at our house. My Wife Jolene and I were expecting a crowd of 16 or so to enjoy Christmas. Many came up Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Christ with us. Christmas morning started off cold and filled with anticipation. We opened gifts, had breakfast and started to settle into the day. The call came at 12:05 PM and the mission was on.

A 35 year old backpacker had started off at Hwy 74 in Garner Valley a few days before with the idea of hiking that leg of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and coming out down the Devil's Slide trail to Humber Park to meet with friends Christmas Eve. He didn’t show up and the Sheriff’s Department was contacted. I pulled my gear together, said see you later to the family, and told them not to hold dinner for me it as could be a long mission. I met up with other team members at Humber Park (The start of the Devil's Slide Trail) and we broke up into teams. Les and I became team 1, Nick and Craig became team 2, and Ty who brought the Rescue Truck was going to run base.

Les and I headed up the trail at about 1:45 PM with full winter packs prepared to spend the night on the mountain if needed. As we neared the ½ mile mark from the saddle in ice and snow, we heard the rotor blades of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Helicopter Star 9 beating the air above us. Star 9 radioed us with their intent to start searching for the subject and if they found him they would let us know his position by GPS so we could make our way in his direction once we attained the saddle. Within a very short time, Star 9 came back on radio to inform us that they spotted a tent up on the mountain with a male fitting the description of the subject sitting on the ground in front of the tent minimally responsive to their presence above. They reported to us that they located an insertion (Landing Zone) on a rock outcrop. The rock outcrop was slightly above the subject’s campsite and approximately 50 yards away.

Star 9 informed us that they would land in Skunk Cabbage Meadow and wait for our arrival. At this point Les and I picked up our pace, arrived at the saddle and made our way to Skunk Cabbage Meadow. The hiking conditions were less than desirable. We were post holing, (When your feet sink in to the snow.) 12 inches through the crusted snow frequently. Occasionally we post holed deeper with our steps and once in a while we would float on top of the snow crust. We spotted the helicopter at the west end of the meadow as we broke out of the tree line and made our way to them. It was now about 3:30 pm. As we approached the helicopter we could see an adult male with a child. It turned out that the man was hiking on Devil Slide trail with his reluctant 8 year son, he had talked with friends of the subject who were also on the trail earlier and they decided to hike up to the saddle and then onto Skunk Cabbage Meadow and take a "look". They were without packs and any appropriate gear and it was beginning to freeze again.

The Star 9 Pilot (Kevin Boss) told us he could take one of us over to the subject. Les and I conferred as to who should go. Based on the fact I had more medical experience and training and the subject’s condition was unknown at this point, we determined I would be the one taken to the subject. At that point we turned our attention to the father and son. Les, the helicopter crew and I determined that they should be flown out and not attempt the hike down to Humber based on the deteriorating weather conditions on the mountain. And the fact the father was not sure exactly where he was and the direction he should head.

I climbed into Star 9 with my gear and after a brief orientation by the Tactical Field Officer (Manny Romenro) away we went. The helicopter gained altitude, located the tent and the rock out crop, and then dropped down to let me out. The rock I was put on at first glance looked perfect until I got on it and realized the shear drop on the back side of it and the buildup of windblown snow which had turned to polished ice on the windward side. I could see the subject below and to the right of me outside his tent not moving. My crampons were in my pack. I surveyed the scene and saw an opportunity to step off the rock outcrop slide down about 50 yards on a 30 degree hard snow slope into a bowl with plenty of soft snow. I was focused at that point on the subject and wanted to get to him. I stepped off onto the slope and the plan worked. I came to rest slightly below the subject about 20 yards away and it was still hard snow, I crawled to the subjects elevation stood up and walked the few remaining yards to him.

He was unemotional and distant (early stages of hypothermia). I asked him how he was, and he stated cramping and cold but uninjured. I removed my pack while asking him when he had eaten and hydrated last. He had not eaten since the day before and had not drunk anything for several hours. I reached into my pack, grabbed my thermos filled with steaming hot chocolate and handed him a cup. I radioed Star 9 who was in a hover waiting for a report. I stated that the subject was orientated and uninjured and that we would pack up his gear, I suggested that they return to Skunk Cabbage and take the father and son off of the mountain while I tended to the subject. Star 9 said they would be back in about 20 minutes. The subject and I started to break his tent down and repack his tent, he was noticeably weak.

Back at Skunk Cabbage, Nick and Craig had arrived while I was with the subject. Les was with the father and son prepping them for there their helicopter ride down to the landing area at Camp Maranatha in Idyllwild. The helicopter landed and Craig boarded with the father and the son and flew then off the mountain. Les and Nick waited at that point for their turn to get a ride out.

The subject and I had his stuff packed up I was carrying my pack and the subjects and we were making our way to the rock outcrop taking the long gradual way around. The subject was moving slow with poles and non-mountaineering crampons. My crampons were working great and as we reached the rock outcrop we heard the helicopter coming in. The TFO signaled for us to come forward. In a flurry of movement I pushed the subject toward the helicopter as the TFO grabbed him and pulled him in. The helicopter re-stabilized over the rock, I got the signal to board and we flew down to Camp Maranatha. We got the subject into Dana’s SUV, stripped off his wet shoes and socks, and started the rewarming process. The Idyllwild Fire Paramedics showed up minutes later and took over. In the meantime Star 9 went back and picked up Nick and Les. I cannot say enough about the skill and professionalism of both the pilot (Kevin Boss) and the TFO on this mission. The subject re-warmed, refused further medical aid, and went home with his friends. I went home and arrived at 5:15 PM just in time to sit down with the family for Christmas dinner.

RMRU team members present: Roger Barry, Ralph Hoetger, Nick Nixon, Dana Potts, Les Walker, Ty Whittersheim, and Craig Wills.