Ally got Medi-Vac'd off of a mountain today, what did your wife do for Mother's Day? (Pictures)

denbot

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Mon May-11-09 03:06 AM
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Ally got Medi-Vac'd off of a mountain today, what did your wife do for Mother's Day? (Pictures)

Edited on Mon May-11-09 03:25 AM by denbot

We hike the Chantrey Flats area of the San Gabriel Mountains for Mom's Day. Our original plans were to go to Yosemite, but crap kept popping up all week and we scaled back and settled for a little day hike on a moderate 2000'ft gain 10 mile loop.. We made didn't even make it half way.

We started the day by strolling to Sterevant Falls, where we took the first picture, then headed up the Winter Creek trail, planning to lunch at The Cascade picnic area, then on to skirt Mt.Zion, down Big Santa Anita Canyon and back to our car at Chantry Flats. We were a little behind schedule, only 30' from the picnic table and lunch, when Ally's foot slipped on some loose dirt, caught on a mostly buried rock that shattered her ankle.

It was fucking horrible. I set it the best I could. turned her so her leg was as high as possible, left her the water and food and started running down the trail, about two miles from the junction of Winter Creek trail and the very busy Sterevant Falls trail and help. I'm fifty, fat, and out of shape, but ran farther then I have since boot-camp thirty years before. At the trail junction I got help from a cabin owner, who used a call box right there to call the Wonderful all volunteer Sierra Madre search and Rescue team. The couple at the cabin Kadi, and John gave me a bottle of water and a clif bar. I guiltily drank half the water, pocketed the clif bar and attempted to run back. I could barely run more then 10 or twenty yards before I had to walk till I could breath again. Halfway back to Ally, I first heard, then saw the L.A. Sheriff's Search and Rescue chopper.

I attempted to signal it as it wind it's way up and down the canyon. I did not spend much time trying, (hopeless under the oak canopy) and kept pushing back to Ally. Has I got close the chopper was out of sight, but I could tell it was hovering. The trail leveled enough for me to run again and when I got there, I saw two medics in flight suits and some good Samaritans working on my sweety.

They carried her to the picnic table got her splinted. I cried a tini-bit when I got to her, but was soooooo relieved that she was ok. Just minutes after I reached her the area, it was swarmed by the Sierra Madre S&R team, coming up behind me, and several had repelled from the same chopper on the Mt. Zion saddle and almost simultaneously arrived on site from up the trail.

Ally was carried on a litter a short distance to a clearing and was transported by chopper to Huntington Memorial hospital. I got her home a couple of hours ago, and she just started sleeping fitfully, but she is home, and safe. I am calling in tomorrow and taking her to an orthopedic specialist and we will find out if she will need surgery. Right now all we know that she has 4 broken bones and her ankle was completely dislocated.

The irony, was that the picnic table we almost reached was only 30' away.. there was an emergency call box ten feet further.

Me and Ally at Sterevant Falls, around noon.

After a little kissies, and a bit of crying I started taking pictures. These are the coolest sheriff's EVAHR!!!

The Sheriffs, Sierra Madre S&R Team, the snowy bearded guy was Chris from Chantry Flats who hauled-ass with his two mules there.

The two guys in the back ground happened upon Ally lying on the trail, and with the help of another passer-by gave first aid, wrapped her ankle with an ace bandage before the pro's got there. I don't know their names, but may they live forever. Oh and the wooden box behind them contains an emergency phone, sigh..

Thumbs up from Landing Zone Ally,

In to the chopper she goes.

After all is said and done I am soo relieved that things turned out as well as they did,
Happy Mother's Day to all.