On Sunday, December 10, 2000 at 1:00 AM in the morning, Walnut & San
Dimas DCS
services were requested by San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team (SDMRT). What
follows are accounts of the search operation provided by Rick Ebert (W-05) and
Lory Jefferson (W-130).
Click on the images to display a larger picture
Account filed by Rick Ebert (W-05)
WAL/SDM-DCS was called out early Sunday (12-10-2000) to assist SDMRT in a search for two
hikers, a father and son, who had gone into the East Fork S. Gabriel canyon on Saturday morning. They were expected to
return to home in Lake Elsinore by 9pm.
SDMRT was paged at 2355 on Saturday. A specific request for DCS came at 0026h (Sunday).
The first team was assembled at 0100. Keith Prebble, Alex Myrman, Bob Houghton and Rick Ebert responded in POVs to East Fork Station and established the
standard IC/Relay configuration. Alex and Bob used unit 88F250 (Alex's truck) to set up an MRA relay position on Shoemaker Road. Keith and Rick
operated the IC radio at East Fork Ranger Station.
The fog and unavailability of air support until at least 0900 Sunday, meant a protracted search. Three ground
teams had been deployed to cover East Fork
Trail, Allison Trail, and Heaton Flat trail. Which took almost until dawn. A forth team was deployed at about 0300 to begin searching Cow Canyon. 88R2 was
sent to Peacock Saddle to function as relay and support unit for this team (Team
4).
At about 0600 we began to set up for a relief team the DCS crew. The second
team consisted of Mike Steiner, Larry Gump, Bill Torres, and Lory Jefferson.
They were expected on scene at about 0900. Air crews became more optimistic about flying conditions and by 0700 one small copter was in the area searching
from the air. Air Rescue 5 ("Air 5") - a newly commissioned CH53 was now expected at about 0900.
The DCS teams traded off with their relief's beginning shortly after 0900. Mike
Steiner and Bill Torres relieved Alex and Bob at Shoemaker Relay, and by 0930 Lory and Larry had taken over the IC radio. The big CH53 arrived to make a
pickup shortly after 0900 and take another ground team (team 5) up to the Bridge
To
Nowhere. (For those that have not seen this beast close up, it's about
twice the size of the old Air-5 Sikorsky - it moves a lot more air too. Keith got some pictures which we'll try to get sent around.)
The operation continued through-out the day, but I have no more details as I was
on my way home and to sleep by 1000. Keith stayed around a bit longer to take pictures. We'll get the second team to give us a report of the second 9 hours
of the operation and post it here.
The final page came at 1645: "Operation is code 4. Victims are safe and well."
Below is the account of the search operation provided by Lory Jefferson (W-130):
Here is the missing info from the time Rick left:
After making the drop-off of
Team 5 at Bridge to Nowhere, Air 5 returned (I assume) to Barley Flats.
A second Bell 500 (Air-6) joined the other Bell 500 (Air-29) in an aerial search. A ground search was
made of Allison Mine and the immediate surrounding area, as relatives of the victims stated that that was
a possible destination. There was no evidence of any recent disturbances within the mine, so
Team 1 headed down Allison Gulch to check the three waterfalls located there.
Meanwhile, (Sierra Madre) Team 2 had been searching the Heaton trail, side to side, up to Bridge to
Nowhere, finding nothing. In the process, one of the members slightly injured his foot, so the team was
retrieved by Air-6 and Air-29.
At about 13:10, the victims were spotted by one of the
air units, walking on the ridge above Allison Gulch. They were in good shape, and wanted to walk out.
Team 5 returned to Bridge to Nowhere, where they were picked up by the two Bell 500's and ferried back to
the IC, and Team 1 in Allison Gulch climbed to a suitable ledge on the side of the canyon where they were
hoisted aboard Air-5 for return to IC.
The WAL/SDM-DCS team met back at the IC, where we were released shortly after 15:00.