Hiker Injured On National Forest Trek Rescued By RivCo Helicopter Crew

PINE COVE, CA — A hiker trekking Friday with family in the San Bernardino National Forest northeast of Pine Cove took a fall that left him injured and in need of rescue, culminating in his being airlifted to safety.

The "hiker down" call was received at 11:30 a.m. Friday along Black Mountain Truck Trail, east of Highway 243, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

Capt. John Clingingsmith told City News Service the man, whose identity was not released, went down on the trail and suffered moderate injuries, rendering him unable to walk out under his own power.

The victim's family members, who were accompanying him, called 911, and engine crews were sent to the trailhead to mount a rescue.

Clingingsmith said due to the terrain, firefighters promptly requested that a sheriff's helicopter crew based at Hemet-Ryan Airport initiate an air search for the parties.

The rescue operation was completed around 1 p.m. when the chopper crew located the victim and airlifted him to Banning Municipal Airport, where he was retrieved by an ambulance and taken to a regional trauma center for treatment.

City News Service