Hiker Rescued on Taboose Pass Trail
June 16, 2024 – Inyo County Search & Rescue officials report that at around 6:30 P.M. on Wednesday, June 12, Inyo SAR received a call-out for a hiker on Taboose Pass Trail who was unable to continue her descent from the pass. The hiker had been section hiking northbound on the John Muir Trail, when she encountered too much snow for her comfort level on Mather Pass. Taboose Pass was the nearest exit out of the Sierra Nevada, so she took it.
About 1.7 miles shy of the trailhead, the hiker went to fetch water from the creek when she reportedly got bitten by what she thought was a spider. Afterwards, she was unable to feel the skin on her legs and could not continue her hike down. She still managed to call for a rescue and relay her coordinates, then her phone battery died.
Inyo SAR assembled a team in Bishop and drove the rough road up to Taboose trailhead.
The rescuers pushed a wheeled litter up for about 1.5 miles, then stashed it when the trail became too rough to safely continue with a litter for the last quarter mile.
After assessing the patient, the rescuers slowly walked her down the tricky section of the trail while ensuring her safety with ropes, then transferred her into the wheeled litter where the trail became stable. Subject and rescuers arrived at the trailhead just before midnight.
Our tips:
Always bring a power bank for your phone, don’t use anything that can drain its battery, or – better yet – bring a satellite messaging device. About half of the emergency calls that SAR receives come from a person with a dying phone battery.
While we’re talking about Taboose Pass trail, we’d like to remind everyone that Taboose, Sawmill, Baxter, and Shepherd Pass Trails are a lot less maintained as the rest of the trails in the Sierra. You might encounter very tricky sections and route-finding issues – not to mention very steep grades.
Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer and unpaid, professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation with and under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County and its visitors is only possible thanks to donations. Inyosar.com/donate.
Source & photo: Inyo County Search & Rescue
