Caught On VIDEO: Dramatic CHP Rescue Of Injured Hiker Trapped By Falling Boulder Near Mt. St. Helena
/ CBS San Francisco
CALISTOGA (CBS SF) -- A hiker, who was injured and trapped by a falling boulder in a heavily wooded area of Mt. St. Helena, was rescued early Tuesday by a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew who hiked through the wilderness aided by night vision cameras and flashlights.
The CHP said it received a 911 call at 2:20 a.m. from a hiker near the Oat Hill Trail (east of Calistoga) in the area known as the Palisades.
The hiker advised dispatch that he had been out hiking earlier in the afternoon when at approximately 5 p.m. a large boulder fell on him, pinning his backpack and right arm.
After several hours of laying under the boulder, the hiker was able to finally rip open his jeans pocket and remove his cellphone.
A CHP H-30 crew flew to the GPS coordinate provided by Cal Fire and located the downed hiker utilizing their FLIR system and night vision goggles. The hiker was able to signal the helicopter using a small flashlight. The location of the hiker was off trail and in extremely rugged terrain.
**Early Morning Rescue, Mount Saint Helena**
At approximately 2:20 this morning, CHP Dispatch received a 911 call from a hiker near the Oat Hill Trail (east of Calistoga) in the area known as the Palisades. The hiker advised that he had been out hiking earlier in the afternoon when at approximately 5 pm, a large boulder fell on him, pinning his backpack and right arm. After several hours of laying under the boulder the hiker was able to rip open his jeans pocket and remove his cellphone .
H-30 received the call for assistance at approximately 2:37 am from Cal Fire and was requested to locate the hiker. Along with H-30, CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, Napa AMR, and Saint Helena Fire all responded.
CHP H-30 flew to the GPS coordinate provided by Cal Fire and located the downed hiker utilizing their FLIR system and night vision goggles. The hiker was able to signal the helicopter using a small flashlight. The location of the hiker was off trail and in extremely rugged terrain.
The H-30 crew was able to conduct an off-site landing approximately one mile from the hiker's location. Both officers then hiked through rugged terrain and reached the hiker. After approximately 1 hour of hiking off trail, the crew reached the hiker. The H-30 crew quickly realized that they were not going to be able to get the hiker out of the location due to the terrain and his injuries. Fortunately, his injuries were not life threatening and the crew determined a "first light" rescue was the most appropriate way to extricate the hiker. The crew canceled ground resources to the hikers location and requested they stand by for first light operations.
At approximately 04:00 am, the crew contacted Sergeant Lannis Pope via cell phone and requested he respond with CHP Helicopter H-32 at first light and hoist the hiker to safety. As the H-30 crew waited for daylight they built a small fire with their survival gear and warmed the hiker (temps were in the low 30's). The crew also continued to re evaluate the hikers medical needs.
Sergeant Pope responded to the hangar with acting Sergeant Gutierrez launched in H-32. CHP H-32 was able to hoist the injured hiker out of the area and transport him to a waiting AMR ambulance at the Calistoga Fairgrounds. H-32 then responded back to H-30's crew location, hoisted them and returned them to their helicopter H-30. Both helicopters then returned to Napa.
If the hiker had not retrieved his cellphone and provided Cal Fire his GPS location prior to the battery dying, he may not have been located.
The crew conducted an off-site landing approximately one mile from the hiker's location. Both officers then hiked through rugged terrain and reached the hiker.
After approximately 1 hour of hiking off trail, the crew reached the hiker. They quickly realized that they were not going to be able to get the hiker out due to the terrain and his injuries.
Fortunately, officials said, the hiker's injuries were not life threatening and the crew determined a first light rescue was the most appropriate way to extricate the hiker.
As the crew members on the ground waited for daylight, they built a small fire with their survival gear and warmed the hiker as temperatures were in the low 30s.
Finally after sunrise, the crew was able hoist the injured hiker out of the area and transport him to a waiting ambulance at the Calistoga Fairgrounds. He was then transported to a local hospital. His condition was not released Wednesday.
