Multiple Rescues on Skyline

[Ranger Bill]

Rescue 3:

CA State Parks with the assistance of California Highway Patrol and The Riverside Sheriff’s Department Rescued a lost and injured hiker.

The CA State Parks rescue team consisting of two State Park Rangers, four Park Aides and two Volunteers were finishing their 2nd rescue of the day when they were notified of a lost hiker about 1318 hours. The 31 year old male hiker of San Diego started early in the morning on the Skyline Route, that starts at the valley floor in Palm Springs and ends in Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

At some point the subject unknowingly traveled off route and became lost, he then made a cell phone call for help, with minimal details before the call was disconnected. The State Parks rescue team was picked up off the Skyline Route by the Sheriff’s Aviation unit and dropped off near the lost hiker, who was on a steep ledge. Once on scene of the ledge they found the hiker holding onto a rock and discovered that he was injured. The hiker was stabilized by State Park Personnel, prior to being picked up by the CHP Aviation Unit and taken to a local hospital about 1800 hours.





Rescue 1 and 2:

About 1000 hours CA State Parks received a report of several hikers struggling on the Skyline Route. CA State Parks quickly assembled a Rescue Team about 1015 hours consisting of two State Park Rangers, four Park Aides and two Volunteers. Several members of the rescue team headed down the Skyline rout with water and supplies for the hikers. The rescue team descended to the 5600 foot level (about 3 miles) and reached the group of 3 males and 3 females about 1040 hours. The one of the six subjects from Southern California were suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. The rescue team gave the subjects water and assisted them up the entire route.

Once at the top of the route the rescue team received another report of struggling hikers, a group of 3 males from Maine and Georgia who had no water and where suffering from dehydration. The CA State Parks Rescue Team then descended back down the Skyline Rout to the 5300 foot level (about 3 miles). Once on scene the Rescue team gave the hikers water and assisted them back up the route, where they received the report of the missing hiker (Rescue 3 from above).

[cynthia23]

My gosh. It sounds like you SAR folks had a very difficult day. A heartfelt thanks to all these folks for all they do to keep people safe.

It also sounds like it's time to post my annual Summer-Skyline-Warning-Rant. Temps are getting very high. We'll have a few more cool days here and there, but basically the C2C season is over, and people need to wait until late fall --or a day where temps fall below 90--before attempting to do Skyline or C2C. When valley temps climb over 92, it is just too risky. It was well over a hundred today. No wonder there were multiple rescues.

Thanks again to the SAR personnel.

[Cy Kaicener]

Thank god for Search and Rescue. There was no mention of water in the Rescue Boxes. In hot weather I used to start at midnight unless the night/morning low was too high.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may ... ine-trail/

[bluerail]

It is indeed time for the rant Cynthia

This time of year it takes a village to keep enough water above 5000

I truly feel for the sar guys...

Triple digits in ps yesterday but the trail was crowded? Really?

[Florian]

This is nuts. I was just at the Grand Canyon and there are lots of warning signs about being prepared and carrying water, etc. I think the signs must make some people stop and think and not do stupid things. (I wish i'd taken some pictures of the signs but didn't think of it.) Skyline is now so popular and hiked by so many people. It's just ridiculous how many rescues there are.

-Florian

[halhiker]

Sadly, cell phones have made people weak and at any sign of discomfort they call the cavalry. I'm ashamed that hikers are such a sorry bunch of weaklings. In the olden days when I started hiking, it was an activity based on self-reliance and overcoming adversity. Now, these young whipper-snappers just do it so they can post their rescue pictures on Instagram.

What ever happened toughing it out?

[KathyW]

Sadly, cell phones have made people weak and at any sign of discomfort they call the cavalry. I'm ashamed that hikers are such a sorry bunch of weaklings. In the olden days when I started hiking, it was an activity based on self-reliance and overcoming adversity. Now, these young whipper-snappers just do it so they can post their rescue pictures on Instagram.

What ever happened toughing it out?

I agree that sometimes people call for rescue just because their tired and know they can call for help, but there is a bigger problem here - it's the issue with all these people being out on the trail on a hot day. What is driving those people to go up the trail on a hot day without be acclimated to the heat?

[Ed]

In the olden days when I started hiking, it was an activity based on self-reliance and overcoming adversity

While I agree, I would state it a little differently. People were more calculating about risks, when there was no chance whatsoever of a speedy rescue operation. I'm amazed, however, at how many people follow this discussion board, take advice, and have a fine time their first time up.

[cynthia23]

Ed is right that the majority of people who take the trouble to read the info on this board take it seriously and are careful. Sadly, a few others don't ever see this board, or if they do, dismiss the info here as not applying to THEM because they're, you know, special. Our media culture's glamorizing of 'extreme athletes' has created a group of people who firmly believe the rules of reality don't apply to their super-duper Uber Selves. Sometimes the folks who get into rescue situations on Skyline are just naive or ill-informed, but others are suffering from an Enlarged Ego syndrome. It's just too bad that Saturday's Reality Check risked other people's lives, as well as their own. It's horrible that SAR had to go up and down Skyline three times on a sweltering day.

[halhiker]

While my response was partly tongue in cheek, I wonder, how many of the people make the cell phone their first option rather than their last?

I remember the first time I did Rabbit Peak I got dehydrated and bad electrolyte deficiency. I sat down on the ridge at about 2500 feet—the hike ends below sea level—and my legs were convulsing uncontrollably. As I sat there I was literally looking for a flat place to lay down and spend the night. I was done.

Then, after a little rest, I got up and walked out…SEVEN MILES, most of it in the dark. I learned two things from that experience. One, to better prepare, both physically and supply wise and two, that I was capable of overcoming my own folly by sheer force of will.

I have to wonder how many of these people would be capable of making it up if there was no rescue coming? My guess would be all of them except maybe the dude that was hanging off the side of a cliff. I have to think that we make it too easy for people to get help they don't need and it inhibits them from realizing their own inner strength.

I'm glad everyone's OK but I have to think that the ease of rescue is doing people a disservice in the long run rather than helping them.