Panamint Valley Days

[igofshn]

Where did the Cherokee roll? There is no way it rolled off chicken rock unless it was at the very end. In which case they are very forturate. It's a straight drop down well over 500 ft. I hope they are OK. I drove it once...and that's enough for me.:hide:

It rolled at chicken rock. it is 150-175 ft down.

[cweed]

The reponse from the emergeney services was horrific at best. The various agencies were arguing with each other with no regard to the real issue, the person who was hurt and laying at the bottom of a cliff. It should be noted though that the two CHP oficers who hiked up to us (looked like young kids)were very instrumental in persuading the the Ranger to allow us to use their JK to transport her down so we could keep her warm. At that time it was 34 (f) and she had been on the mountain hurt for 9 hours.

Al is right, we didn't even have her in the ambulance before the head Ranger started asking when we were going to get the jeep out. I told him not tonight and that is when he asked if we'll have it out by Monday.

Sitting at the bottom of that cliff in the dark with someone hurt and having no response for help is a very sinking feeling. I know our club for one will become self sufficient and not rely on the so called emergency services should something happen in the future.

[Roger]

... I know our club for one will become self sufficient and not rely on the so called emergency seervices should something happen in the future.

The less you rely on the government at any level for help the better off you are.

[Drewminator]

From looking at the picture, a roll cage would have helped with the injuries

[igofshn]

From looking at the picture, a roll cage would have helped with the injuries

That was the next thing to go in. We finished building the Jeep last weekend. This was it's maiden voyage.

[rexr]

Good to hear that they are ok.. I was on the Sunset run when we heard the calls for help come over the 2 meter radio..

I am with cweed.. It is best to be as prepared and as self sufficient as possible.

It is very disappointing to hear how the Forest Service reacted..

[Schmo]

Wow . . . Geeb was just telling me about that spot last week. Glad to hear that everyone is doing okay . . . from the looks of that drop, it could have been much worse. Very disappointing to hear about the response from the emergency services. Kudos to the club members that stepped in and took care of the situation.

[Geebo]

Thank God all are OK..Chuck I,m with you my bro I made it around the actual Chicken Corner, and gotta tell ya my nerves system Stopped working,I got out of my jeep, Thanks to Steve (Sarjeeper) for driving it across the tiny bridge..once is plenty...Geeb

[karstic]

Do not rely on rescue services in these instances. Rescue would not go into the canyon to get her. Our club had to use the back seat as a back board and carry her out so they could get her to a vehicle. Trona Fire would not respond, it was out of their district. Park service would not take their 4x4 off road.

Park Service is only worried about getting the vehicle out of the canyon, not the condition of the occupents. They kept asking, when are you going to get this out of the canyon?? Will it be out by Monday??

Wow what agencies were involved?

So no reponse from the Inyo Sheriff or SAR, Ridgecrest BLM? And IIRC Chicken Rock is outside the DVNP boundary.

[Mitch]

Geebo,

I'm with you that. Someone would be driving my stuff cayse I wouldn't be able to. Scott, that is what i'm talking about.

I'm glad to hear that the injuries were not more serious. Lucky to be at home recovering.

Mitch

[igofshn]

Wow what agencies were involved?

So no reponse from the Inyo Sheriff or SAR, Ridgecrest BLM? And IIRC Chicken Rock is outside the DVNP boundary.

It is San Bernadino county not kern. some of our people tried to get Trona fire to help, it was out of their district. Sheriff was not there. CHP had 2 younger officers there.

[cweed]

The Inyo County SAR was at Ballarat but due to mis-communication between the ambulance EMT and base at Ballarat they never came up. Three of our rigs went down with the kids that were involved and met the ambulance. They asked for a status and were told that she was stable. The ambulance relayed back and called off the chopper and SAR group. Thankfully the CHP officer on the trail with us was able to clear it up and keep a chopper ready.

The real hero's here were the guy's like Goerge, Tim, Mike, Bat 8 and his wife and the two young CHP officers that rode in Tim's expensive dually to reach us when no one elses would.

The Trail Busters Club members stuck in there and we worked through this as a club. I am very proud of my club members and how we stuck together. At first it was so disappointing to not see a whole bunch of jeeps from camp because I know I would be there for anyone else. But after talking with some of the people at base camp the confused communications was just as bad there as it was between the site and Ballarat.

Everyone I talked to had heard that SAR was there and we were on our way out and everything was ok while we were still on the mountian figuring out where the help is.

Thanks to all who assisted us and you can be sure we'll be there if you ever need the help.

[karstic]

cweed

Thanks for the details. I'm glad you guys were able to pull together and get the injured people to help.

It sounds like the communications were SNAFU'd. Any thoughts on how a club or group in a similar situation could avoid some of those problems?

[Desert Jewel]

Glad to hear they are all okay.

After seeing the video Tam posted...I think I'll stick with the Chicken's and stay off of Chicken Corner!!

[cweed]

After discussing and breaking down the events ( once the emotions settled down) communications was the number one problem with this event. People at the trail head (paramedic's on the ambulance) were making calls like calling off SAR and the chopper without really having a clear idea of what was happening on the mountain. People assumed everything was handled up there when it was not. The paramedic's on the ambulance were told she was stable, and she was but still sitting at the bottom of a 175' drop off. So while medically she was stable the situation was far from over.

The frustration of not knowing if someone was coming and if we should go on the assumption they weren't was tough. Our club will move towards HAM radio's for our means of communications for the future. The two young CHP officers weren't suppose to even be there yet they were instrumental in helping us and ensured a chopper waited at Ballarat. My hat goes off to those two officers. Funny thing, us jeepers had to put gas in one of the officers cruisers because he was out of gas, just something stupid that stuck in my mind that evening.