Injured Hiker Near Kearsarge Pass Rescued 

October 13, 2026 – Inyo County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on October 10 at approximately 11:17 a.m., Inyo County Dispatch received multiple reports through text-to-911 and a Garmin satellite communication device regarding a 23-year-old male who had fallen near Heart Lake, east of Kearsarge Pass, and sustained suspected fractures and severe bleeding.

An Inyo County Search and Rescue ground team was assembled, and the California Highway Patrol’s H-42 helicopter was requested to assist with the rescue. H-42 accepted the mission and responded to the area.

H-42 landed nearby but determined that the terrain and conditions prevented a hoist extraction. Search and Rescue personnel and bystanders moved the hiker to a location where the patient could be safely loaded into the helicopter.

H-42 transported the patient to Lone Pine Airport, where an air ambulance was waiting to provide further medical care.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and Inyo County Search and Rescue thank the California Highway Patrol and the bystanders who assisted with the evacuation.

Source: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office