A hiker ended up in the frigid water of California’s Convict Lake on Saturday after falling along the rocky terrain above the lake’s southwest shore, requiring a swift water rescue response from Mono County Search and Rescue (Mono SAR).
Around 12:55pm on March 14th, the Long Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) requested assistance from Mono SAR through the Mono County Sheriff’s Office. The hiker had fallen down the slope above the lake and come to rest in open water, sustaining multiple injuries in the process. Given the nature of the situation, a rapid response was requested.
A limited activation brought out Rescue 3, the team’s first-out rescue truck, along with the Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB). Team members who were already at Mono SAR headquarters were able to get moving quickly, shortening the response time.
Rescue Base was set up at the Convict Lake Marina. Three SAR members crossed the lake in the IRB and linked up with Mono County Paramedics and LVFPD firefighters, who had already reached the patient on the far shore. The injured hiker was assessed, packaged, and transported back across the water to the marina, where they were re-evaluated before being handed off for further medical care. The IRB made a second crossing to bring a family member and fire personnel back to the launch ramp.
The operation wrapped up at 3:05 p.m. Convict Lake sits at just under 7,600 feet in the Eastern Sierra south of Mammoth Lakes. The trails and terrain around the lake, particularly on the steeper southwest side, can be unforgiving.
