Altitude sickness causes rescue on Mt. Whitney

Helicopter to recover incapacitated hiker

Members of Inyo County Search and Rescue are urging those hiking in the backcountry to listen to their bodies and hiking partners after a hiker had to be airlifted from Mt. Whitney earlier this month due to altitude sickness.

The agency reported that it was called out at about 2 p.m. Dec. 12, for a hiker at 13,600 feet in elevation on Mt. Whitney.

According to Inyo SAR, the hiker was experiencing severe symptoms of acute mountain sickness and was unable to hike down, therefore his hiking partner called for help using the SOS-function of his satellite messenger device.

Inyo SAR assembled a team of three rescuers at the Lone Pine airport where they met with H-80, a helicopter from California Highway Patrol’s Inland Division Air Operations.

H-80 had already flown over the mountain to confirm the subjects’ location and determined that the terrain required a hoist since there was nowhere to land.

One of Inyo SAR’s rescuers joined the helicopter crew. The crew then flew back to the mountain and hoisted the rescuer down, where she assessed the patient and facilitated his hoist and evacuation to Lone Pine.

Due to nightfall, the rescuer couldn’t get hoisted out herself as CHP only runs hoist operations in daylight out of safety concerns. The rescuer instead hiked to the nearest landing zone, where she finally got picked up at around 6 p.m.

What had happened?

The subject and his partner had spent the night at 11,600 feet in elevation, where the subject already felt nauseous. Blaming unwell feelings on food, they set out on their summit attempt in the early morning, but soon it became clear that the subject was feeling worse and also dizzy as they gained more and more elevation.

The partner recognized the problem at hand and urged that they both turn around. However, the subject insisted on hiking to the summit and even threatened to go alone. The partner opted to stay with him and accompanied him further up the mountain.

Upon reaching Trail Crest, the subject was so incapacitated, he couldn’t continue – in either direction.

Acute mountain sickness, according to Search and Rescue, can significantly reduce one’s ability

to make rational decisions. Both hikers had enough warm layers to wait several hours for the rescue in 10-degree weather without getting hypothermia and/or frost bite.

“We urge everyone to listen to your hiking partners and your body,” Inyo SAR stated. “If you don’t feel well or if someone gets concerned about you, turn around,” the organization said. “We’d especially like to thank the hiking partner who stayed with the subject at all times – this likely saved his life!”

Inyo County Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer and unpaid professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization working in cooperation with and under the direction of the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. Its ability to provide search and rescue services to the Eastern Sierra relies on donations.

Visit InyoSAR.com for more information.