JSAR was alerted around 915 pm Saturday of an InReach alert for a climber with a leg injury on the approach hike to the Brothers. The location was approximately half way to Climbers Camp from Lena Lake.
Eight volunteers responded and headed up the trail with EMTs, a litter team and a radio relay to establish a comms link between the trailhead command post and the higher teams. While en route, word came through an InReach message that the climbing party was moving down trail toward Lena Lake.
The climbing party was met by JSAR at the far end of the lake. The injured knee had been splinted with a pair of snow pickets, and the party had made substantial progress toward the trailhead, stopping only upon reaching the creek crossing that lacks a bridge.
An EMT evaluated the patient and determined that a litter carry would be appropriate. Air assets alerted in case of need were canceled.
JSAR set up a high line to belay the subject in a litter across the creek, then packaged her more warmly and mounted the litter on a wheel for the trip to the trailhead. A new litter that is lighter and more maneuverable has recently been purchased by JCSO, and it demonstrated substantial improvements in patient packaging, speed of movement and reduced staffing required to operate it — this was its first actual mission. The team and climbers reached the trailhead as the sky was getting light.