Sierras Worst Nightmare!

[JoshandBaron]

Before this thread gets too far off track - as for who pays the expenses for medevac helicopters for mountain rescues- I think the answer is we all do with our tax dollars, as they are National Guard helicopters.

Some are DHART.

 

[Andrew]

Yes, the example I cited was actually a helicopter from Maine Medical Center, initiated through DHART's mutual aid network. The NH crew was tied up so first requested help from Boston Medical, but they were also unavailable. I may be remembering that backwards. We worked primarily with DHART at the time, NHF&G work(s)ed primarily with NH ANG.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

DHART does not do searches and does not do hoists; they must have space to land.

 

[KRooney]

DHART does not do searches and does not do hoists; they must have space to land.

That's probably the reason the only helicopters I've seen in the mountains are ANG.

 

[skiguy]

DHART does not do searches and does not do hoists; they must have space to land.

https://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/two-long-sliding-falls-on-a-frozen-spring-snowpack/

 

[TomK]

Before this thread gets too far off track - as for who pays the expenses for medevac helicopters for mountain rescues- I think the answer is we all do with our tax dollars, as they are National Guard helicopters.

To further muddy the waters, it is my understanding that the NG pilots need to fly a certain number of hours each month in order to maintain currency/proficiency. It is possible that there is a similar requirement for the aircraft as well, but I'm not so sure about that.

Therefore, it is certainly possible that, especially for a short duration event, if the pilot/aircraft wasn't being flown for the mission, the hours would have to be flown anyway, perhaps in a training mission created for the sole purpose of providing the pilots/aircraft the opportunity to fly the required time. The point is any particular SAR NG activity may not result in additional incremental costs.

But as KRooney points out, either way, it is the taxpayers who foot the bill (barring billing collecting from the object of the SAR) for the time flown.

TomK

 

[JoshandBaron]

The Last Traverse does a good job of explaining the roles and procedures of both ANG and DHART if anyone wants to get more into the weeds.

 

[Captain-Slow]

I was up in that area on Oct 12 on the Zealand/AT heading down to Thoreau Falls and Shoal Pond for a nice birthday day hike. Other than being chilly with frequent wind gusts in the 60MPH+ range, it was a really nice quiet day until it was time to go home. Heading down 93 south through Franconia Notch was a nightmare. Northbound was backed up nearly to Lincoln, and southbound was at a crawl in the single lane section.. Then I saw the news about the Artists Bluff Catastrophe... I wasn't really all that surprised.

 

[KRooney]

The Last Traverse does a good job of explaining the roles and procedures of both ANG and DHART if anyone wants to get more into the weeds.

Good to know.

 

[JoshandBaron]

Good to know.

My apologies. The book was Critical Hours by Sandy Stott.