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Hiker with injured ankle
By Jim Fairchild
Early this
particular morning hardly any of us scheduled for
a day's work in the garden and around the house
expected to be saved by the bell! Nevertheless,
about 0630 the telephone rang just as I was
walking out the door to run. The ring did sort
have the "rescue" tone to it, and sure
enough, Walt Walker told of a hiker with an
injured knee.
After too many
minutes in the throes of trying to contact a lot
of members by phone, I rolled to Humber Park
(6400'el.) above Idyllwild. The two vans were
there, John Dew and Walt were putting the wheel
and frame on a Stokes litter, Mary and Jack
Bowman were working base, and Kevin Walker and
Hal Fulkman had already left twenty minutes
before as a "bash" team. We had heard
that the subject was in a tent near the trail and
up from it along the first drainage past Saddle
Junction (8100' el.). Joe Erickson and John were
ready to go, so I grabbed the litter and we
started off with light packs. A few clouds were
around, but Joe and I hiked in shorts, with long
trousers in packs - how smart! The fresh air and
coolness inspired us to really move along as we
traded pushing the litter and its marvelous
wheel. We kept hearing reports on our radio that
maybe the subject was a bit farther, maybe as far
a Skunk Cabbage Meadow (3 mile hike). Great,
we'll be there shortly. Soon Steve Vaughn, Jim
Snodgrass, and Jim Caldwell of Hemet Search and
Rescue were hiking up behind a mile or so. As we
neared the saddle we met folks who had been with
the subject, saying he was above Willow Creek
Crossing (5 mile hike). Fine, we'll be there
shortly. Some snow patches encroached the trail,
increasing as we neared the saddle, and nearly
covered the ground once there. Past the saddle is
nearly level ground, and we cruised quickly
through the magnificent pines and past the meadow
now awakening to spring. Clouds were sort of
closing in, visibility down to a quarter mile. We
rounded the last corner and heard Willow Creek
almost roaring in its dash for the desert. Upon
crossing the crossing we turned uphill and soon
requested a yell from Kevin and Hal. OK, they
were about two hundred yards or so above and
away. Also OK, and spectacularly, it started to
snow - big flakes and lots of them. Kevin helped
with the litter the last fifty feet, and we were
there. Hal wrapped an ace bandage around the
injured knee as I took pictures. That knee
belongs to Charles R. (Chuck) Imbrecht, an
attorney and California State Assemblyman from
the 36th. District, Ventura County. Very
interesting! A backpacking politician whom we
soon learned is a very nice fellow. He was
appreciative of our efforts on his behalf and was
soon doing well in RMRU's repartee and humor.
Chuck and his partner, Richard
Lehman, also an assemblyman, from Fresno, were
hiking down Willow Creek the day before (Friday).
They were a bit off-route and slightly
"confused" as to location. Repeated
falls onto his knee resulted in the said knee
telling Chuck, "that's it, no more.' So,
unable to move further, Chuck had to stay while
his partner hiked out to get help. Lehman arrived
in Idyllwild at 9:30 PM and notified the
Sheriff's Office. Meanwhile, some other hikers
came along, saw Chuck, and helped him get
downstream a quarter mile to a good tent-site
where he spent the night. Of course, RMRU could
not begin to gather for the evacuation until we
were notified Saturday morning.
Following
getting Chuck ready for transport, we put him in
the litter amid heavy snowfall, and started down.
The HSAR men arrived and were assigned to break
the camp and carry out the gear. Despite
"post-holing" in the snow we made good
time on the roll-out. Before long, over near
Skunk Cabbage Meadow, Rick Pohlers, Bob Attride,
and Jim Garvey arrived and we made better time
with less effort per person. Dr. Jerry Niswonger
and Karen Rutledge met us a bit down from the
saddle, and before long we were out of the snow
and storm and back to base.
Funny thing
happened at the Alpine Pantry in Idyllwild during
breakfast. A waitress asked what the occasion was
for all of us being there, and we said we rescued
him .... meaning Chuck. She asked, amazed,
"Did it take all of you to rescue him?"
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