Hiker Trapped Under Boulder Weighing at Least 6,000 Lbs. Rescued After 7 Hours

Authorities announced that they rescued a man who spent seven hours with his legs pinned beneath a boulder weighing about five tons in California’s Inyo Mountains.

In a news release shared on Facebook, the Inyo County Search and Rescue said on Tuesday afternoon, authorities were alerted about a hiker located below Santa Rita Flat near Independence was trapped. 

Led by the Inyo County Search and Rescue, a helicopter carrying rescue team members and other emergency personnel traveling in vehicles were involved in the operation. 

“The SAR [search and rescue] team arrived at the hiker’s location well after dark, finding the hiker in great pain with his left leg pinned beneath a large boulder on a steep hillside,” Inyo County Search and Rescue said in the release. “Team members estimated the boulder to weigh between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds.”

They added, “Using a system of ropes, pulleys, and leverage, the SAR team was able to shift the boulder enough to free the hiker, and assess and stabilize his injuries.”

Inyo County Search and Rescue also said that due to the hiker’s serious injuries and the difficulty of the terrain, it was decided to remove the hiker via helicopter from U.S. Naval Air Station Lemoore despite the darkness. A Navy medic was rappelled from the chopper to the scene. 

“The injured hiker and medic were hoisted into the helicopter and flown to Fresno for treatment after midnight,” they said, per the release. 

Inyo County Search and Rescue further described the challenges involved in the operation, from experiencing rocky terrain to access the accident scene to facing cold temperatures in the darkness and managing a severely injured person for a number of hours while awaiting his extrication.

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According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Inyo Mountains are a desert mountain range spanning 198,360 acres between the Owens Valley and Death Valley National Park. The mountains boast opportunities for visitors to experience solitude and stargazing underneath the night skies. 

“Although the mountains appear extremely rugged, they are actually quite fragile,” the Forest Service’s website shared. “Animal and plant life in the desert depend upon the limited water and soil resources in these mountains. For this reason, it is especially important for visitors to practice Leave No Trace principles in this wilderness.” 

PEOPLE reached out to Inyo County Search and Rescue Monday for further comment about the rescue and the status of the injured hiker.