Injured skier rescued from Sierra Nevada in near total darkness

By Cecilio Padilla

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    NEVADA COUNTY, California (KOVR) — An injured skier was rescued in near-total darkness far up the Nevada County high country, authorities say.

According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, back on the night of April 19, their Falcon 30 air unit responded to Castle Peak after getting a report about a skier with a broken femur.

The skier was up at about the 8,000′ level in steep, snowy terrain. Further complicating the rescue was the fact that the skier was very tall himself, standing about 6’8″.

Rescuers – which included the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire NEU – organized a highly technical night hoist rescue.

First, a pair of paramedics were dropped about 250 yards from the skier so they could hike up to him. Then, with the help of night vision, Falcon 30 lowered another crew of specialists down to the skier.

After some work, the skier was hoisted up to safety and flown over to the Boreal Ski Resort parking lot where a ride was waiting to take him to the hospital.

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