A hiker whose legs became trapped under a large rock in rugged terrain in California's Inyo Mountains was rescued seven hours later after a delicate, resource-limited operation.
“The search and rescue team arrived at the hiker's home well after dark and found him in great pain and with his left leg trapped under a large rock on a steep hill. Team members estimated the rock weighed between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds,” the Inyo County Volunteer Association Search & Rescue reported on Facebook Friday.
Last Tuesday afternoon, the club was called to rescue the man who had been left in excruciating pain on a rugged slope in the Inyo Mountains of California.
The hiker reportedly spent more than seven hours in his painful position before being freed after midnight.
Using a system of ropes, pulleys and levers, the team was able to move the rock enough to free the hiker and stabilize his injuries, the nonprofit organization said in its release.
“Due to the severity of the hiker's injuries and the difficulty of the terrain, it was decided to rescue him by helicopter from Lemoore Naval Air Station, despite the darkness,” she said in writing.
There has been no update on his health, Global News reported on Monday.