Inyo SAR

Good Samaritan Mission to Rescue a Dog While Inyo SAR is generally a rescue organization for humans, we occasionally get called to help a human’s friend on 4 paws. This was the case in the evening of Friday, May 1, when Inyo SAR was alerted to an exhausted elderly Border Collie in Panamint City in the Panamint Range of Death Valley National Park. After a short discussion about availabilities for human missions, Inyo SAR decided we could spare a few rescuers to go on a side quest. Five rescuers assembled at 6AM on Saturday morning, drove to Panamint Valley, joined a Park Ranger, and started hiking roughly seven miles to reach Caleb, the dog. After receiving a few treats and making friends, Caleb allowed the rescuers to put him into a K-9 Rescue Sling. Rescuers then took 10-minute turns carrying the dog the seven miles back to the trailhead. While Caleb wasn’t excited to be cooped up in the sling, he quickly realized that SAR was there to help him. At 5:30PM, everyone arrived back at the trailhead and released a happy Caleb from the Rescue Sling. We’d like to thank NPS for the assistance with this special mission. Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer, unpaid professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County residents and visitors is made possible through community donations. Learn more or contribute at Inyosar.com/donate #panamintvalley #deathvalleynationalpark #dogrescue

FYI! We'll see you in June.

Injured Skier Rescue At 5:18PM on Sunday, April 26, Inyo SAR received a call for a skier who sustained a leg injury to the north-east of Mount Emerson. The subject was located about 3 miles from the nearest trail and dirt road. Inyo SAR sent 5 rescuers with overnight gear and medical supplies. They hiked over mixed terrain with patchy snow and dense vegetation around each creek crossing, until they reached the patient at 11:17PM. Two rescuers dropped off their gear and hiked out again, three stayed with the subject and his party. On Monday morning, CHP helicopter H-42 from Fresno managed to land nearby, allowing the patient to get transported onto the helicopter to be flown to Bishop. Fearing an unsuccessful helicopter extraction due to deteriorating weather, Inyo SAR had also mobilized a group of seven ground rescuers at 6AM, who were hiking in with a litter and more supplies. By 2PM, all rescuers and the patient’s party had made it back to Bishop. We wish the patient a speedy recovery. This rescue serves as a perfect example why we encourage everyone to bring more layers and food than they think they need. A planned day trip can quickly turn into an unplanned overnight stay. Even though it is almost summer, above snowline the nights are still literally freezing cold. Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer, unpaid professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County residents and visitors is made possible through community donations. Learn more or contribute at Inyosar.com/donate #easternsierra #sierranevada #springskiing #backcountryskiing

The Inyo County Search & Rescue team (SAR) presents a yearly Hug-a-Tree (HAT) program to the 3rd through 5th grade students in Inyo County HAT is part of Inyo SAR’s Preventative Search & Rescue program (PSAR) that educates the local community, students and thousands of wilderness visitors on how to stay safe in our wilderness areas. The HAT program is an adaptation of a national youth safety program that is applicable to our extensive mountain, river valley and desert topography. The HAT program is read to the assembled students by school staff using a coloring book storyboard. The focus is on not getting lost in the wilderness and if you do, how to assist SAR in your rescue. Additionally, each classroom of 15-25 students receives a geography lesson about Inyo County’s diverse terrain, a fun class on knot tying and how to prepare a triangle bandage for an arm injury. Finally, all students receive a 10-page Hug-a-tree story coloring book, a hiking ten-essentials handout, the HAT four rules handout and a space blanket in a take-home folder. The 2025 school presentation schedule included approximately 250 students at: 1: Seventh Day Adventist School in Bishop. 2: Round Valley School. 3: Bishop area home-schooled at Mill Pond. 4: Lo-Inyo Elementary in Lone Pine. 5: Owen’s Valley Unified in Independence. 6: Bishop Elementary (2 classes) 7: Big Pine Elementary The Inyo SAR team would like to thank Eastside Sports for sponsoring the 2024 HAT program and the Mount Whitney Hostel and Portal Store for the 2025 HAT program. The sponsor the 2026 program is Jack’s Restaurant and the Bishop Pizza Factory. 2026 HAT class programs will occur in April through May, 2026. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue team is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, whose members are called upon to provide Search & Rescue services to Inyo County. The Inyo Search & Rescue team works in cooperation with and under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department. #hugatree #mountainsafety #dontgetlost

Most sport climbing accidents in Inyo County involve either lowering someone off the end of their rope or a head injury that couod have been prevented by a helmet. Be a happy climber by being a safe climber! #owensrivergorge #bishopclimbing #pinecreekclimbing #climbingsafety #climbingaccident

The Mount Whitney Lottery has arrived! Here's to snagging a good spot this year! As you're selecting your dates, it's important to keep in mind that mountain weather and conditions can vary wildly each year and also throughout the permit season. Below is an Inyo Search and Rescue perspective on considerations for mountain travel and date selection: May-June: Snowpack and ice likely remain on the mountain (even through late June, depending on the year) requiring specialized equipment, training and experience. Winter-like storms are possible. These months tend to have the highest accident and fatality rates in the permit season. Late June-August: The start of summer can still have some snow and ice or afternoon summer thunderstorms. Most of the rescues during these months are due to either high altitude issues or splitting up a group. Be sure to schedule enough time in your trip to properly acclimatize and enough time on the mountain based on everyone's pace and fitness. September-October: Winter storms can return. Daylight becomes increasingly shorter and days colder with temps falling below freezing at night. Be sure to keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Rescues at this time of year include hikers unprepared for mountain weather and conditions. And always remember the STOP guidelines: Stay together--most SAR emergencies happen when parties split up. Turn around...before it's too late. The only cure for altitude sickness is rapid descent. If you feel sick, turn around. Ownership--You are responsible for your own safety and rescue is never a guarantee. Prepare and Train--bring the gear you need and know how to use it before you climb. #mountwhitney #mountainsafety #mountwhitneytrail #mtwhitneysummit #mtwhitney

Fatality on Mount Whitney On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Team received a report of an overdue hiker on Mount Whitney. Two hikers began their ascent at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, continuing through the night and into the following day. At approximately 3:30 p.m., while near the 12,500-foot elevation, one hiker determined it was safest to turn around and descend. The second hiker continued ascending toward the summit. When the second hiker failed to return by the following morning, the reporting party contacted the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, and a SAR response was initiated. Six rescuers assembled in Lone Pine and coordinated with the California Highway Patrol Inland Division helicopter (H-82) out of Apple Valley, which arrived shortly before 2:00 p.m. One rescuer was inserted with the flight crew to conduct an aerial search. After a thorough search, the subject was located on the north face of Mount Whitney, below the “Final 400” on the Mountaineers Route, and was confirmed deceased. A second rescuer was flown in to assist with recovery operations. All rescuers were safely returned to Lone Pine by approximately 5:50 p.m. The incident occurred within Tulare County jurisdiction, and proper notification was made to the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. This incident, along with recent fatalities on Mount Whitney and Mount Baldy, serves as a reminder that winter ascents are serious mountaineering endeavors, not hikes. Winter conditions leave little margin for error, and the consequences can be severe. Additionally, many fatalities occur when individuals travel solo or when groups separate. If someone in your group expresses safety concerns, those concerns should be taken seriously. Fatigue is also a critical contributing factor. Extended periods of exertion negatively impact decision-making and increase the likelihood of missteps and falls. Knowing when to turn around can save lives. Please be respectful in your comments. The victim’s family and friends may be following this post, and some comments may be hurtful. Thank you!

Sign up by Dec 31st at 6PM = 15% off! Join our fundraiser Range of Light Trail Races and support the Search and Rescue team that's always ready to respond.

Have you signed up for our fundraiser Range of Light Trail Races on October 24th? What are you waiting for?! If you sign up between now and 6pm on Dec 31st, you can take 15% off your race entry with the coupon code 'xmas2025'. #ultrarunning #ultrasignup #xmasgoals #fundraiserrun #easternsierra

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Inyo County Sheriff’s Office Recovers Deceased Individual on Mt. Whitney On November 12, 2025, the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible deceased individual on Mt. Whitney. Due to the remote and hazardous location and multiple storms that moved in just after, recovery operations were further complicated and required extensive planning and coordination over several weeks. On December 15, 2025, following multiple helicopter-assisted and ground operations, the deceased individual was successfully recovered. Formal identification is pending with the Inyo County Coroner’s Office. We will release further information as it becomes available. While identification is pending, we recognize the difficulty of this situation and extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office is aware that the public knows of the reported missing person in the area. Still, we caution anyone from making conclusions until positive identification is made. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office sincerely acknowledges the extraordinary support and dedication of Inyo County Search and Rescue, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Placer County Sheriff’s Office Avalanche Dog Team, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Mono County Search and Rescue, the California Highway Patrol Air Operations, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, whose expertise and commitment were invaluable in completing this challenging recovery.

This Giving Tuesday, support the volunteers who answer the call when it matters most. Inyo County Search & Rescue serves our community and backcountry 24/7, responding to emergencies with dedication, training, and heart — all on a volunteer basis. Your donation helps fund critical equipment, training, and rescue operations that save lives in some of the most challenging terrain in the country. Please consider giving back to those who always show up when others need help. /donate Every contribution makes a difference. Thank you for supporting InyoSAR! #GivingTuesday #InyoSAR #SupportLocalVolunteers #DonateToSaveLives

Two Separate Rescues on Mt. Whitney Aid Three Hikers On November 2, 2025, Inyo County Search and Rescue (SAR) was called to assist a hiker experiencing a medical emergency on Mount Whitney. Three SAR members met with CHP Helicopter H-42 (from Fresno) in Lone Pine. One rescuer was flown to Trail Camp, where the hiker was located. While preparing for transport, another hiker nearby requested help after feeling unwell. Both individuals were flown to Lone Pine for evaluation. On November 7, 2025, SAR was again called to Mt. Whitney for a separate incident. A hiker had left the main trail near the 99 switchbacks and was climbing on the right side of the route when he slipped on icy ground and fell, sustaining injuries. Two nearby hikers heard his calls for help and made their way to him. One stayed to provide support, while the other descended approximately 3.5 miles to Outpost Camp, where she located someone with a satellite messenger and initiated the rescue. She then hiked back up to rejoin her companion and the injured hiker. CHP Helicopter H-42 returned to assist, meeting eight SAR volunteers in Lone Pine. One rescuer was flown to Trail Camp and another was hoisted to the accident site. With the help of the bystanders, the injured hiker was secured in a SKED (a roll-up litter designed for rugged terrain) and hoisted to safety before being flown to Lone Pine. Safety Reminders for Mt. Whitney: 1. Acclimatize properly before heading to high elevations. Altitude-related illness can occur quickly and unexpectedly. 2. This time of year poses serious risks. The upper sections of the Main Trail—especially the 99 switchbacks—are covered in ice and extremely slippery. Mt. Whitney is not a casual hike. 3. Carry a satellite communication device. Cell service in the area is unreliable and should not be depended on. 4. Exercise extreme caution. The 99 switchbacks have recently seen multiple serious incidents—conditions can change fast. We’d like to thank the hikers who provided aid during the November 7 incident. Your quick actions made a difference. Your down jacket is currently held at the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. [Continued in comments]