Highlights of The Year 2000
Compiled by Webmaster from Newsletters by Jim Gilbreath and scrapbook created by Nickie Leyen

The following accounts of field operations are the best efforts of the newsletter editor, are NOT official reports, and may have errors and omissions, for which apologies and regrets are expressed in advance.

January

The Board of Directors selected the following as officers for the year 2000.

Team Roster as of May 15, 2000

Victor Aguirre, Leisa Allen, Lisa Baker, Jim Bridger, Dan Bridger, Dan Burnham, Sallee Burns, Steve Case, Pete DeGeorge, Robert Edlund, Jim Endo, Greg Enright, Bruce Enyeart, John Estridge, Larry Ford, Lee Frees, Jim Gilbreath, Bill Greene, Gary Guenther, Dave Harvey, Kerrick Helton, Jeff Holmquist, Brian Huntsman, Brent Kennedy, Pete Kirchner, Sam LaLande, Stephanie Larson, Keren LeFever, Win Lee-Lewis, Dori Leyen, Doug Magee, Jennifer Mann, Kevin McBride, Noreen McClintock, Laura Mogg, Natalie Nelson, Jeremy Newman, Doug Nidever, Carrie Ognibene, Ferris Poling, Karen Riggs, Dean Rosnau, Joe Rousek, Tim Rudolph, Brent Salzmann, Jutta Schmidt, Leo Smith, Bob Sollima, Soibian Spring, Michelle Tracey, Russ Veenker, Fred Weatherly, Brant White, Dan Wright, Paul Zahn.

We are grateful for contributions of $500 from Laurie Whitsel, and $500 from Larry Posner (annotated "for saving a good lawyer").

The June Lake Marina has a new hovercraft that could be a big help for ice rescue.

Dean Rosnau received a fine letter from Eric Schultz following our team dinner. Here is an excerpt from it:

"Just wanted to thank you so much for having Art, Dave, and I share in a wonderful evening with the SAR team. For us it is so rewarding to get to know the people who benefit from a grant, to feel a part of something we believe in and support. ......I want you to know the evening was quite powerful for me as well, completing full circle the journey I began 16 months ago. Seeing how unselfishly you all give to your mountain community inspires me to philanthropic deeds through my position here at the ABS Foundation. Truly there is nothing more rewarding than giving something back to others, in whatever capacity each of us is able to. I sense there is some real momentum building at SAR.... All the Best, Eric."

The foundation’s web site is www.absfoundation.org.

Our Candidate of the Year Jim Bridger was elected as our newest Rescue Member at the January meeting.

Dan Bridger (that's not a typo, he's Jim's father) was elected as our newest Support Member.

January 23, 2000 - Lake Ice Rescue Training with Kevin McBride and Dean Rosnau beginning at 11:30 AM at the Community Center at Gull Lake. The first part will be indoors with video and lecture, followed by on-the-ice and in-the-water outside in the Stern Suits. Good fun, as well as important training. EMT and Paramedic C.E. credits are available. Be there to learn, watch, and help on shore even if you don't fancy falling through the ice into a frozen lake.

January 24-28, 2000 - OES Winter SAR Course will be held in June Lake.

January 27, 2000, 00-00R A Mammoth Adventours snowmobile client collided with a tree near Inyo Craters and sustained serious injuries to her femur, pelvis, arm, and head. Ski Patrol and Medic-3 packaged the victim and was transporting her to the ambulance when our team members arrived. Those responding or known to be responding when the cancelled-came were: Rosnau, Aguirre, Jim Bridger, Dr. Clark, Greene, Harvey, Gilbreath, Larson, Riggs, Wright, Zahn, DeGeorge, Leyen, Rousek, and Rudolph.

January 30, 2000, 00-01R. Ron Nelson got stuck and stranded in a whiteout while servicing a television translator on the ridge east of Lower Twin Lake. Access was from the Green Creek road. Pete DeGeorge and Sgt. Boe Turner were on duty and responded with the County snowcat. Here’s an excerpt from Pete’s report:

"I was requested to go with Sgt. Turner on what we thought would be a short cat ride to pull a stuck vehicle from the snow and help the occupant to avoid spending the night stuck out on the snow covered road. Our subject was not at his vehicle, and we had to search. We were in whiteout conditions using directions we received from the subject by cell phone to try to find him.

The subject had stuck his snowmobile 100 yards from a TV repeater site he was to be working on. Fortunately he chose to go to the repeater shed for shelter when he was caught by the whiteout instead of trying to posthole back to his vehicle. We were able to find him but the snowcat lost a track when it hit a boulder in the snow. The hasty team completed the mission by transporting us out on snowmobiles."

The snowcat was rescued the next day with help from the Marines. So, Pete, how’s it feel to be a victim for a change? Responders were: Aguirre, Greene, Rosnau, and Harvey.

February

We received thanks from Chief Larry Buffalo at OES for the team’s help with the winter SAR training course.

February 11-13, 2000 - EMT Refresher Training. Jim Nosek and Cerro Coso College will be offering an EMT refresher course on these 3 days. Friday 5-9 PM. Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 6 PM.

February 18, 2000, 00-03R Noah Smith was last seen on his snowboard by companions at the top of Mammoth Mountain about noon. He diverged from his group down Fresno Bowl and did not see the (NEW and numerous) warning signs. After realizing there were no other tracks down there, he climbed partway back up and made a windbreak shelter and built a small fire. About dark he got cold and concerned about hypothermia, and resumed climbing back up the way he had come down. A full moon helped a lot.

At 2200 a snowcat operator grooming Cornice bowl found him. He was brought down to Main Lodge by another snowcat. He was in good condition. Team 1 of Rosnau and Greene found his temporary shelter, but due to bad information received from the store he had rented his boots from, the tracks did not match, and they continued down Turkey Gulch, spending the night as guests at Chez Sollima before skiing out over Mammoth Pass the next morning. Responders were: Gilbreath (ops), Rosnau, Greene, Enright (Ops), Enyeart, Zahn, Wright, Harvey, Rousek, Leyen, DeGeorge, Edlund, Guenther, and Rudolph.

February 19, 2000, 00-04?R. James Bowman was reported missing by a friend who was snowboarding with him in the chair 9 area of Mammoth Mountain. The subject was last seen around noon and failed to meet the friend for their scheduled drive back to their homes in the San Diego area.

The team assembled at Ski Patrol and got our snowmobiles ready. Bob Sollima began searching the Reds Meadow area, and a mountain employee searched the chair 9 area on a snowmobile. Before the team went out, the RP called a friend in San Diego who called back with the information that the missing subject was in Mammoth and was going to get a ride back to San Diego with his sister. Responders were: Enright, Sollima, Greene, Rosnau, Enyeart, Guenther, Zahn, and Edlund.

March

Our NASAR Coordinator Greg Enright announced that the team is now an organizational member of NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue).

March 19, 2000, 00-06R. Sean Ruble skied out of bounds starting in the Dragon’s Back area, became exhausted and confused regarding his location and eventually got to the pay phone at Pumice Flats, where he called 911. The team responded with two snowmobiles to bring him back to Main Lodge. Responders were: Greene, Harvey, Aguirre, and Gilbreath.

April

Richard Levak survival shelter
Using dead trees, branches, and snow Del Mar resident Richard Levak found a rock with two trees in front and used the snow around the rock to build a "long coffin-shaped shelter."

April 8-10, 2000, 00-07R. Richard Levak from Del Mar was skiing alone on Saturday morning and made a wrong turn on his way from the gondola to Dave’s Run. He was confused as to direction, and proceeded on down, assuming he would eventually come to a road and walk or hitchhike out, not aware that he was heading deeper into one of the largest roadless areas in the country.

This search had no clues such as a positive point last seen. The search area was huge, and involved all of the ski area and all the back side areas. The SAR team searched the back side by cutting for track and using attraction in the Reds Meadow area. Bob Sollima was out with his dogs. Ski Patrol conducted extensive searches inside the ski area and the boundary areas. WOOF dog teams and additional personnel from China Lake and MWTC Pickel Meadows were called to assist. CHP-H40, Nellis AFB, and Moffett Field AFS provided air support with HH-60 (2) and C-130 tanker.

On the last day of the search Ski Patrol found a track out of bounds headed toward the river drainage. Search Base plotted a possible high probability search area and directed HH-60 and a China Lake ground team toward that area. The ground team was approximately 0.6 mile from the victim’s location when the victim was spotted first by HH-60 119 and winched up.

The victim had spent two nights east of Lower Rainbow Falls in a self made shelter, ate snow for hydration, and exercised at night to stay warm. Aircraft had flown directly over him many times both days prior to detection. Subject was found to be in good condition at Mammoth Hospital, and released. His wife flew to Mammoth to pick him up for return to San Diego. We got lucky. Responders were: Harvey, Gilbreath, DeGeorge, Zahn, Leyen, Rosnau, Edlund, Enyeart, Enright, Frees, Greene, Aguirre, Lewis, Sollima, Tracey, Rudolph, McClintock, Burns, Riggs, Salzman, Bridger and Burnham.

See Lost In The Backcountry for a detailed account published in the Mammoth Times.

April 18, 2000, 00-08R. Mathew Duniho was skiing and ascending a steep snowfield south of Virginia Lake when he triggered an avalanche. He was swept down and buried except for his head and a hand. Other skiers below saw the slide, dug him out, and reported he had a severe leg injury.

Sheriff's deputies and Bridgeport Fire personnel responded to the scene with snowmobiles and snowcat. EMS personnel were transported uphill as far as the vehicles could go, then climbed to the scene about 1,000 feet above the valley. The medics and team members stabilized the victim's fractured femur and lowered him to the snowcat, which took him to the LZ for the NAS Fallon rescue helicopter. He was flown to Bishop for emergency treatment. Responders were: Rosnau, Riggs, Greene, Enyeart, Leyen, Rudolph, DeGeorge, and Burnham.

From Mammoth Times newspaper article:

A backcountry skier is lucky to be alive, after being caught in an avalanche in the Virginia Lakes area April 19. Matthew Duniho of Olympic Valley, California, jumped off a cornice onto a wind-blown slope. As he hit the slope below the cornice, the snow broke loose and he was carried about 300 yards down the slope and partially buried by the avalanche.

Duniho was the caretaker of a nearby cabin, and had ventured off by himself on telemark skis with climbing skins. Luckily for Duniho, three other skiers in the area witnessed the incident and went to his aid. They dug him out and contacted Mono County Search and Rescue at 1:40 p.m.

Duniho had a serious fracture to his left femur, and required evacuation by a rescue helicopter from Fallon, Nevada. Search and rescue team members at the rescue lowered Duniho on a litter with ropes to an area where he was transported by the Sheriff's Department Snowcat to the helicopter landing area. He was then flown to Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop, where he underwent leg surgery. He was in stable condition as of April 20.

"He was very lucky someone witnessed this," said Lt. Cole Hampton, search and rescue coordinator. "Or I'm sure we would have had a deceased person. He wouldn't have been able to extract himself."

Two of the other skiers who witnessed the avalanche were from Switzerland, and the third was from Homeward, California.

"At this time of year people should go skiing in pairs, and should be equipped with avalanche transceivers," Hampton said.

"This guy winged it, and took that chance. He is lucky to have survived."

And from his bed in Bishop Hospital, Duniho told search and rescue team members: "I'm happy to be alive."

April 19, 2000 - The first annual Recruiting Information Meeting at Fire Station #1 at 7 PM. Come to help if you can. Put Those Mountain Skills to Use.

April 29-30, 2000 team members assisted Mammoth Police Department with an evidence search at Snowcreek Ponds.

May

We received a very nice letter of thanks, and a donation of $1000 from Richard and Linda Levak.

The team received a $100 donation from Brownie Troop 311.

There were no operations in May.

The team's recruiting program has been quite successful this year. The following people made it through the application, interview, and background check process, and were voted by the team to be Candidate Members at the May meeting:

Brian Huntsman, Jennifer Mann, Jeff Holmquist, Jutta Schmidt, Ferris Poling, Kerrick Helton, Julia White, Colby Walloch, Leisa Allen, Soibian Spring (pronounced So by' an), and Laura Mogg. In addition, Dadre Albaugh was accepted as a Support Member Candidate.

May 15, 2000 - Ops Leader Search Training with Greg Enright. Fire Station #2. Those who should attend will be invited by Greg.

May 22, 2000 - Search Training with Greg Enright. 5:30 PM at Sherwin Creek picnic area. New Candidates should be there, and old timers too.

May 23, 2000 - Basic Candidate Course Part 1. 7:00 PM at Juniper Springs Lodge conference room. New Candidates should be there.

May 24, 2000 - Basic Candidate Course Part 2. 7:00 PM at Juniper Springs Lodge conference room (Probably, maybe Fire Station #2). New Candidates should be there.

June

June 7, 2000 - Classroom - Raising and Lower Systems overview/knots after the monthly meeting.

The following are required for Candidates to progress to Rescue Member. Details on equipment/exact location/etc. will be provided at the June meeting.

June 12, 2000 - Knots/rappelling/lowering systems 5:30 PM at Warming Wall near Canyon Lodge.

June 19, 2000 - Raising systems/patient packaging 5:30PM at Warming Wall near Canyon Lodge.

June 26, 2000 - Testing on above two trainings. 5:30 PM at Triple Cracks (near Crestview Maintainance Station on 395)

June 30-July 1, 2000, 00-10R. Emmet Alexander from Richland, Washington fell while fishing at Fremont Lake, resulting in head and facial injuries. The team was paged out at 1947 and began hiking in with the MEDIC 1 crew, with pack animal support from Leavitt Meadows. Care Flight responded but was unable to continue due to darkness. The team spent the night with the victim and moved him to a landing zone where he was picked up at 0610 by the Care Flight helicopter. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Rosnau, Enright, Newman, Leyen, Rudolph, White, Schmidt, and Holmquist.

July

July 2, 2000, 00-11R. Charles Wolfe from Paso Robles was packed in to Davis Lake by Rock Creek Pack Station, and became ill and unable to stand. The team was paged out at 1108, and hiked up with MEDIC 3 personnel from the gate on the road above the BLM campground, aided by 814 in a Sheriff's 4WD. Helicopter H40 responded from Fresno and landed in the meadow east of Davis Lake.

The victim was carried in litter around the south end of the lake to the helo, which lifted off at 1527 and took him to Mammoth Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a severe form of pneumonia. The SAR team hiked out and the operation terminated at 1755. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), Rosnau, Rousek, Case, Greene, Enright, Lee-Lewis, Salzmann, Holmquist, Schmidt, Kennedy, DeGeorge, Moscowitz & Douda (Medic-3).

With pride we note that the Team was awarded First Place in the Service Vehicle category in the Mammoth Lakes 4th of July Parade.

Recent Helicopter Training with NAS Fallon crew
Recent Helicopter Training with NAS Fallon crew

The recent Helicopter Training with the NAS Fallon crew was outstanding, and we thank them very much for coming over and giving us this excellent opportunity.

July 21, 2000, 00-13R. Alisa Jones from Olympic Valley tripped over a rock and injured her ankle while hiking on a ridge above Conness Lakes. The team was paged out and helicopter requested from NAS Fallon. Field teams were taken across Saddlebag Lake by the resort boat crew, and hiked up toward the victim. Longhorn 6 helo arrived and spotted the victim on the ridge, then landed N.E. of Saddlebag Lake to offload gear and a crewman, then picked up the victim. She was taken by helo to Mammoth Hospital where she was treated for a bad sprain and released. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), Enright, Harvey, Greene, Rudolph, Albaugh, Holmquist, Schmidt, DeGeorge, Leyen, Rousek, and White.

July 21, 2000, 00-14R. Carol Edwards from Cypress, CA was crossing a stream in a rocky area above Saddlebag Lake, accompanied by several family members. She slipped on a rock and injured her left ankle. Two members of the party ran down to the north dock of Saddlebag Lake where our team members were waiting to load the litter used in the previous rescue that day. Other team members were sent back and splinted the victim's ankle and evacuated here via wheeled litter to the boat. She was taken via family vehicle to Mammoth hospital where she was treated for a fracture. Responders were: Gilbreath (Ops), Enright, Harvey, Greene, Rudolph, Albaugh, Holmquist, Schmidt, DeGeorge, Leyen, Rousek, and White.

July 25, 2000, 00-15R. Ciara Barry was camping at Cabin Lake when she experienced severe nausea, causing her to become weak and dehydrated. Her mother hiked out early in the morning and contacted Mammoth Hospital to obtain medication for the nausea. When unable to obtain the needed medication, she contacted the Sheriff’s Office for help.

The SAR team responded, along with a helicopter from Fallon NAS, and an Inyo Forest Service trail maintenance crew near her location. After her mother left to seek help, Ciara’s nausea ceased, and she decided to hike out. She was located on the trail coming down from Ediza Lake, very weak and dehydrated. She was ultimately persuaded to accept a helicopter ride to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Greene (Ops), DeGeorge, Helton, Huntsman, Rosnau, Spring, , Wright, and Zahn.

July 26, 2000, 00-16R. A 57-year-old camper at Wolf Creek Lake (near Sonora Pass) was suffering from severe back spasms and couldn't walk himself out. The NAS Fallon helicopter was requested and quickly spotted the victim. They landed the helicopter in a meadow near the lake and two crew members assisted the man across the quarter-mile to the helicopter. They airlifted him to Washoe Medical Center in Reno for treatment. 8S1 Ops.

Read more here about the three NAS Fallon operations above.

August

August 8-13, 2000, 00-17R. Craig Sweet's employer contacted the Mammoth Lakes Police Department after he failed to show for several days of work. After his car was located at the Horseshoe Lake parking lot, the SAR team was called out at 1336, and began searching in the lakes basin and trails leading from this area. The SAR team was assisted by several WOOF dog teams, and a police/sheriff/Forest Service mounted team. No clues regarding the possible whereabouts of Craig were located. The search was suspended on 8/13. Responders – lots of people.

Additional information in this Mammoth Times article.

August 11, 2000, 00-18R Jeanette Larson was hiking near Ediza Lake when she slipped on a rock and cut her leg. A Fallon NAS rescue helicopter responded, along with the SAR team, to extract her from the backcountry. Fallon reached the subject, loaded, and transported her to Mammoth Hospital for treatment. Responders were: Case, Harvey (ops), Holmquist, Rudolph, Schmidt, Wright.

August 13, 2000, 00-19R Joni Katerinos and her boyfriend were exploring the Obsidian Domes when she got sunscreen in her eyes that she was unable to remove. This caused her to be unable to see well enough to descend the loose scree field. They were within shouting distance of a dirt road, and were able to inform some passing bikers about their situation. The bikers contact the Sheriff's Office via cell phone. The SAR team reached the subjects and assisted Joni down the slope. Responders were: Enright (ops), Case, Greene, and Rosnau.

August 14, 2000, 00-20R. Donde Domingez, age 10, was discovered missing from his group while they were fishing at Crystal Lake. His party searched for him for two hours before notifying the Sheriff's Office about his disappearance.

The SAR team began a hasty search of the area, assisted by a canine unit from Mammoth Police Department. A Mammoth Police Department unit located the boy at the group’s campsite when he went to interview other members of the boy’s party who had returned to their campsite earlier in the day.

The boy had left the group at the lake and was driven back to their campsite with members of his party who were returning to their campsite first. They had been informed by the boy that the group still at the lake knew he was returning to the campsite with them. Responders were: Greene (ops), Albaugh, DeGeorge, Enright, Enyert, Helton, Holmquist, Huntsman, Kennedy, Larson, Leyen, Rosnau, Rudolph, Schmidt, Spring, and White. Also Mammoth Police Department John Boyer 44S1, and John Mair 44K1 and his dog Leroy.

August 23, 2000, 00-17B. Team members continued to search as time permitted for Craig Sweet. While hiking with his dog, SAR member Bruce Enyeart found the body in a rough area southwest of McCloud Lake. The team responded for a recovery.

Mr. Sweet died as a result of a several hundred pound boulder falling on his chest, most probably after dislodging the boulder and falling while hiking downhill on his way back to his vehicle. Responders were: DeGeorge, Enyeart, Harvey, Greene, Poling, Spring, Wright, White, Lee-Lewis, Rosnau, Holmquist, Rudolph, Schmidt, Helton, Leyen, Huntsman and Albaugh et al.

Additional information in this Mammoth Times article.

September

We received a nice email message from Richard and Linda Levak. You will remember Richard's search and rescue last April after being out three nights when he "missed" Dave's Run. Linda said: "Richard is helping interview the group of finalists for the next Survivor show (is that ironic or what??). They wrote a feature about Richard in the local paper a couple weeks ago, about his consulting for the Survivor show. The writer found out about Richard's survival experience at Mammoth by surfing the Internet and ended up featuring that in the story.

Richard's looking forward to skiing this year, but I'm still too unsettled by the whole experience to really want to go back! We think about Richard's adventure often and continue to marvel at what a great job you and your team did. We want to contribute to the S&R team every year. Thanks for staying in touch. Hopefully we'll see you in Mammoth this year on the right side of the mountain! "

We received six letters and donations from family and friends of Craig Sweet.

September 2, 2000, 00-21R Veronica and Pedro Esparaza, father and daughter, were reported as overdue from a day hike. They had hiked to Reds Meadow from Horseshoe Lake with other family members, who became tired and took the bus from Reds Meadow to the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Veronica and Pedro were intending to hike back to Horseshoe Lake where their car was located.

The SAR team was called out at approximately. 2330, and spent the night searching the various trails between Reds Meadow and Horseshoe Lake. After many hours of tedious tracking in the dark (due to many retracing of steps by the subjects trying to find there way back to their vehicle), the field teams were closing in on the missing persons location. Pedro and Veronica had spent the night bivyed in an area away from trails, not hearing searchers calling for them. They awoke at daybreak and returned to their car located next to search base. They were clothed well for their overnight stay, and required no medical attention. Responders were: Harvey, Poling, Greene, Enright, Leyen, Rousek, Huntsman, Gilbreath, Holmquist, Schmidt, Helton, Rudolph, McClintock and Kennedy.

September 4, 2000, 00-23R Hikers discovered the partially decomposed remains of a male individual in the White Mountains at the 11,000’ elevation, 2-1/4 miles west of White Mountain Peak. On August 28th, CHP helicopter H-40 was dispatched to attempt to located the subject from the air (H40 had GPS lat/lon coordinates from the hikers who found the body). They were unable to locate the subject from the air, and the air search was suspended for a week due to poor weather (low clouds, snow and high winds) and maintenance issues.

On September 4th, Sheriff's Office and SAR members were inserted into the area by H40. The subject’s remains were located and transported to Bishop airport by H-40. Due to the deteriorated state of the body, an autopsy was unable to determine a cause of death. Responders were: DeGeorge, Greene, Gilbreath, Rudolph, Schmidt, Holmquist, and Rousek.

September 9, 2000, 00-22R Evan McCarthy injured his ankle while hiking with a friend in the Mr. Dana drainage about 1 mile east of Highway 120 near Tioga Lake. The SAR team, along with personnel from Medic 2 and Lee Vining Fire, extracted McCarthy by wheeled litter. Responders were: Enright, Huntsman and Lee-Lewis

September 9, 2000, 00-24R Bill Robinson was driving his car down Tioga Pass road at 0330 for some early morning star gazing (that’s his story and he’s sticking to it) when his car left the road way about 1/4 mile east of Ellery Lake, and plunged over the side.

His vehicle came to rest 240’ below the roadway, after cartwheeling down a boulder covered, 30-degree slope. Amazingly, Mr. Robinson suffered only a possible broken ankle, along with other minor injuries. Mr. Robinson was able to crawl out of his vehicle, but was unable to crawl up the boulder field for help due to his ankle injury.

At approximately 0930, a passing motorist who stopped to admire the view at a pullout near where Mr. Robinson left the roadway, saw Mr. Robinson and called for help. Lee Vining Fire, Medic 2 and SAR team personnel stabilized and hauled Mr. Robinson up the slope, where he was transported to Washoe Medical Clinic by Care Flight helicopter. Responders were: Allen, Poling, Enright, Enyeart, Rudolph, Lee-Lewis, Harvey and Greene.

Additional information in this Mammoth Times article.

September 15, 2000, 00-25R. Muriel Denno from El Dorado Hills was bucked off a horse at Upper Crater Meadows and suffered a probable broken rib. The team was met at Red's Meadows and began hiking on the PCT with a wheeled litter. Meantime, CHP helicopter H-20 was dispatched and reached the victim first, and evacuated her to Mammoth Hospital. Responders were: Harvey (ops), Holmquist, Greene (ops), Gilbreath, Zahn, Lewis, Helton, Poling, Huntsman, Leyen, and Schmidt

September 16, 2000 - Team BBQ – The Sheriff’s department hosted a wonderful barbecue for the team and their families at the Summit Condo pool area. Boe and Pete did a marvelous job of cooking the fabulous raw materials from Albert's. Many thanks to the Sheriff's Office for a fun event, and to Dan Wright and others who helped with all the work.

September 27, 2000, 00-26R Kit-Fong Leong from Oakland was injured while hiking above Lake George. The team evacuated him via wheeled litter. Responders were: Aguirre (ops), Greene, Holmquist, Schmidt, Huntsman, and Walloch.

Three different dates are scheduled for doing the orienteering compass course above Jim Gilbreath's house. Monday September 25 at 3 PM, Wednesday October 4 at 9 AM, and Saturday October 7 at 10 AM. Required for Candidate ladder, but anyone can come and play if you want to brush up your compass work.

October

Congratulations to Noreen McClintock, who completed all her candidate ladder requirements, and was elected to Rescue Member at the October meeting.

The 28th Annual SAR CITY, USA will be October 13, 14, and 15 at Barstow Community College. SAR CITY is hosted each year by the Barstow Sheriff's Desert Rescue Squad. This annual event brings an average of 600 SAR people to Barstow. Our team will have eleven members attending. You know who you are. Have a great time down there, and bring back a lot of know-how.

Jeff Holmquist kindly submitted the following info about the Team's visit to SAR City.

Twelve team members attended the annual SAR City held in scenic Barstow, California October 13-15. The event attracted hundreds of SAR personnel from throughout the western U.S. The meeting provided an opportunity to interact with other teams and to examine a number of SAR-specific products offered by vendors.

However, the main attraction for our team was the chance to participate in the ~70 courses that were available. Although most of our group returned to Mono County a few hours early for the John McGuire search, team members participated in a total of 20 short courses and four weekend-long trainings (see below).

Many of the courses were excellent, and Leisa's endless supply of Chupa-Chups kept us going through some of the slower sessions. During the next few months, participants will pass along some of this new information to the rest of the team in condensed versions of the SAR City courses. Special thanks to the Sheriff's Office for funding the team's participation and to Pete DeGeorge for tirelessly organizing the trip.

Mix-and- Match" short courses: These sections involved one to four hours of instruction:

Weekend-long "Tracks": These classes ran from Friday to Sunday and generally resulted in some form of certification.

October 14. 2000, 00-27R. Bob Parkinson, Jr. from Rancho Palos Verdes became separated from his father while crossing a stream in the lower Rainbow Falls area. Bob Sr. searched for several hours, then notified the Sheriff's Department at 2000.

Bob Jr. stated he had crossed the San Joaquin and hiked a few miles South to Cold Creek, then retraced his steps to where he had separated from his father. He was unable to hike due to darkness, and slept until the full moon woke him. He then hiked out in the moonlight, and was met by the team near the Red's roadhead. Responders were: Enright (ops), Sollima, Wright, Poling, Dan Bridger, Estrin, and Rudolph.

October 15, 2000, 00-28R. John McGuire from Palo Alto was reported overdue from a seven day backpack trip. He had been scheduled to be out October 14. SAR operations began October 15 in the morning with search base at Rainbow Falls trailhead.

Teams were flown to various points along the subject's intended route, including Fish Creek Hot springs, Duck Lake, and Lake Virginia. Teams also began hiking up the John Muir Trail and down the Fish Creek Trail. The subject was found in good condition near Fish Creek Hot Springs by a search team at 1435.

He was flown to Mammoth airport. All teams were out of the field at 1720. Mr. McGuire said he was unable to follow the trail in the cascade valley after the snowfall October 9 and 10. He tried to follow the trail out on October 12, but turned back to his campsite after losing the trail many times.

October 13 he found footprints leading down the trail, and followed them out. His progress hiking out was slowed by the foot deep snow. Responders were: Enright (ops), Aguirre, Allen, Case, Greene, Harvey, Lee-Lewis, McBride, Poling, Walloch, Wright, Burnham, DeGeorge, Holmquist, Schmidt, Albaugh, Tracey, Dan Bridger, Sollima, and Rudolph.

November

Thanks to those who worked on the annual Swap Meet. These included Soibian Spring, Leisa Allen, Tim Rudolph, Pete DeGeorge, Dadre Albaugh, Brian Huntsman, and Jeff Holmquist. They cleaned the cache of junk which was sold as rare old antiques. Special kudos to Soibian and Leisa whose home made cookies accounted for most of the revenue.

Congratulations to Jutta Schmidt, Tim Rudolph, and Jeff Holmquist, who completed all their candidate ladder requirements. They were elected as Rescue Members at the November meeting.

November 5, 2000 - ELT/GPS Training Field exercise will start at 1 PM at Mammoth Airport. A simulated downed aircraft and occupants will be found using ELT direction finders and GPS receivers. Candidates needing GPS signoff should borrow a GPS receiver from a Rescue member well in advance and practice doing the 14 skills, which will be needed in order to complete the exercise. Bring your ready pack, GPS and compass.

November 9, 2000, 00-29R. Michael Dunne, 47, from Laguna Niguel attempted a solo climb of White Mountain Peak, leaving the locked gate at 0730, but failed to return to be picked up by his companion.

The SAR team was called out at 1900, and met in Bishop then proceeded to the University of California Research Lab at Crooked Creek, where search base was established. Team members with able assistance from 2 members of the Inyo team shoveled and 4-wheeled their way through the drifts to the Barcroft Lab at 12,400 feet, and at 0315 found Mr. Dunne inside in good condition.

He had made the summit, but had a very difficult time returning due to a storm with wind, rime ice, no visibility, and blowing snow. He was exhausted when reaching the Barcroft Lab, and was fortunate to be able to get inside. The team returned to Crooked Creek and debriefed at 0500. Responders were: Harvey, Rousek, Rudolph, Riggs, Zahn, Huntsman, Holmquist, Schmidt, plus Karen and Mike from the Inyo team.

November 12, 2000, November 18, 2000 and December 9, 2000 - Avalanche Transceiver Training at 10:00 AM. Hands on practice with the team transceivers. Contact Bill Greene for details.

November 19, 2000, 00-30R. Alex Viterbi from Solana Beach was snowmobiling with friends on San Joaquin Ridge when both snowmobiles got stuck. Friends hiked out to Mammoth Mountain and notified the Sheriff's Office when subject failed to return at dark. Subject was located by SAR teams 1/4 mile northwest of Minaret Vista. He attempted to walk out, but got lost in the dark and sought shelter under a fallen tree. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Schmidt, Holmquist, Enyeart, Aguirre, Rudolph; Walloch, Wright, Newman, Poling, Helton, Huntsman, and Spring

November 20, 2000 - Blood Borne Pathogen Training with Kevin McBride at 6 PM at Fire Station #2. Remember, this is one-time REQUIRED training for everyone.

November 21, 2000 - The Rockn' Grill is doing a fund raiser for us beginning with a buffet dinner from 6 to 8 PM, followed by entertainment by the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and The Ominous Seapods. Admission is only $5 per family for our team, but $10 per person for the general public. Help to show our appreciation to owner Phil Brutman by coming and wearing your red shirt.

Read this Mammoth Times article about this event.

November 30, 2000 - Lake Ice Rescue Training at 6 PM in the gumby suits. This fun event is really important, and we will determine the location depending on where Jack Frost has done the best job. Plan on it. We'll do a callout for location.

December

December 13, 2000, 00-31R. Search for Roy Morgan. Details not available.

December 15, 2000 - Team Christmas Party organized by Michele Tracey will start with a no-host social at 6 PM on in the Dry Creek Bar at Mammoth Mountain Inn, then move across the street to Main Lodge for a complimentary dinner in the Old Gondola Room. This is a wonderful event - do everything you can to be there.

December 21, 2000, 00-32R. Kerry McAuley from Mammoth was last seen by her father walking along the Scenic Loop road. The team searched along the road and located tracks into the forest going north. She was found near the Crestview rest stop by Deputy 811. Responders were: Greene (Ops), DeGeorge, Riggs, White, Holmquist, Spring, Case, Rudolph, Albaugh, and Rousek.

December 21, 2000, 00-33R. Jeremy Hammond from Jamaica was returning from a hike to Inyo Craters with his wife and baby when they became separated. He searched by car but got stuck in the snow approximately 1 mile from the parking lot. He called 911 from his cell phone. The team responded and located the wife and baby on the snowmobile trail, then the husband and assisted him in unsticking his car. Responders were: Greene (Ops), and DeGeorge.

December 25, 2000, 00-34R. Cory Rubenstein from Agoura Hills was snowboarding Mammoth Mountain, and was last seen at 1500 outside the boundary on the west side of the mountain. Search teams located him at 0359, extremely cold but stable, approximately 1 kilometer east of Reds Meadow Campground. Due to his very cold feet he was not comfortable walking, and Ski Patrol moved him via toboggan to a snowcat at the campground. He was treated for first degree frostbite of the feet and hands. Responders were: Greene (Ops), Holmquist, Huntsman, Leyen, Rudolph, McClintock, Spring, and Enyeart.

For those who may not have seen it, the following is a press release the Mammoth Times kindly printed verbatim about our Awards Dinner.

Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team
Annual Awards

Each year the all-volunteer Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team honors two members for their individual excellence and public service.

New members in training are called Candidate Members, and must undergo training, practice, and testing in 18 categories of skills before being considered for advancement to Rescue Member. Examples of these skills include first aid and victim care, tracking, technical rescue, mountain navigation, helicopter operations, and skill with electronic aids such as radios and GPS receivers. Completion of all requirements requires a lot of dedication and faithfulness over a period of a year or more. The dropout rate is very high.

This year the team selected Tim Rudolph as the Candidate Member of the Year. Tim has been very active and faithful in both his training and in rescue operations, having responded to 57 team events in less than two years. Tim is very skilled and is always ready to go.

The team’s main honor for achievement is the Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year award. The award is named in memory of a beloved teammate who was killed in an ice climbing accident in 1996.

The Pete Schoerner Rescue Member of the Year is Bill Greene.

Bill has been a real team stalwart in many many ways. In addition to responding to 185 team events over the past three years, he has served as board member and Secretary, and has constantly been involved in making sure our equipment and vehicles are organized and ready for action. Whatever the team does, Bill Greene is right in the middle of it.

The honorees were presented with laser engraved cherry wood plaques by Sheriff Dan Paranick at the annual team awards on Friday, December 15.

HIGHEST HONOR

Only a few times in the history of the team, a Lifetime Member award was made when an outstanding member retired from the team. This year, the definition was changed with the intention of significantly honoring a longtime member who has contributed a lot to the team and victims over a significant number of years, and is still actively involved with the team.

This is not just a pat on the back when leaving the team, but a continuing honor that has been well earned over time for quality and commitment. This is the highest honor the team has.

On November 8, 2000, the team voted to confer this honor on Greg Enright.

Greg has been with our team longer than anyone, and has served as President, Training Officer, and other offices, has taught many of our training courses year after year, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Just in the past 4 years, Greg has responded with great competence and dedication to well over two hundred team events.

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