On Saturday, Inyo County Search and Rescue Volunteers were called to help a man with two broken ankles.mt._whitney.jpg

According to the Inyo Sheriffs Office, 49 year old Carlsbad resident John Giles, along with his 24 year old son Jared were hiking up steep snow near New Army Pass, south of Mt. Whitney, when the accident occurred. The elder Giles slipped on the ice and was not able to stop himself with his ice axe. As he fell, the man hit rocks breaking both of his ankles.

His son cut a level spot in the snow and left his father with food, water, and clothing while he hiked out for help. Near the Cottonwood Lakes, Jared Giles found a Fish and Game Warden who then called Inyo Search and Rescue.

The Volunteer rescuers stabilized the victim, lowered him and carried him to a spot where a CHP helicopter could land and pick up the injured man. With severely broken ankles, Giles was later flown to Oceanside for surgery.

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