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The 7-1/2-hour rescue of an injured 68-year-old Arizona man 1.5 miles below Mauna Kea’s 13,200-foot summit took synchronized teamwork, battling darkness, altitude sickness and freezing temperatures with no trails on rough lava.
Capt. Steven Coloma of the Pohakuloa Fire and Emergency Services, who led the rescue, which ended at 3 a.m. Tuesday, said he’s been on a lot of rescue missions atop Mauna Kea, but “not at this elevation, not this duration.”
Coloma served as both incident commander and one of eight rescue workers from three agencies who carried 30- to 40-pound backpacks as well as the man, who suffered a leg injury.
The Phoenix man, who was on the third day of his visit, left his wife in their parked car near the last array of telescopes while he went out to get the perfect shot of the scenic view from atop Mauna Kea, said Coloma.
“He kept walking to where he wanted to get the shot, and got disoriented,” never once looking back to see where he came from, Coloma said. He had gone past warning signs and was not on any trail. He was lost and called his wife on his cellphone. She then called 911.
His wife told rescuers he was headed northwest, wearing shorts, a shirt and a jacket.
Hawaii County fire officials reported the man had stepped onto unstable terrain that gave way, and he apparently fractured a femur. They got the call at
7:26 p.m. Monday.
Eight Hawaii County firefighters, eight Pohakuloa Training Area rescue personnel and one state ranger were mobilized to undertake the rescue on foot.
Neither the county’s fire helicopter nor an Army Black Hawk could be used at that 13,000-foot elevation, in darkness, fog and clouds.
“The way a helicopter thrusts itself, it would be unable to thrust at that elevation,” Coloma said, adding that the 5- to 10-degree slope offered no place to land.
Unlike Mauna Loa, where there are trails and utility task vehicles (UTV) could be used, there are no trails at Mauna Kea where this man went.
A team of eight arrived at the man’s side at 9:45 p.m.
They found him downslope with a possible fractured femur but conscious.
One rescuer wore a blanket under his jacket to provide warmth for the patient in the 30-degree temperature. They treated the man, splinted his leg and placed him on a plastic stretcher with six handles.
One rescuer was assigned per handle. They conserved their energy by rotating positions, not overtaxing one arm. Two would rotate out and scout ahead for the safest route.
In addition to carrying the man, they carried up to 40-pound packs loaded with rope and other gear, from roughly about the 12,000-foot level back up.
The Fire Department estimated the return took
3-1/2 hours with a 700-foot elevation gain, stopping every 10 feet.
“It felt like a battle,” Coloma said. “It was definitely a test of wills,” with maximum two-minute breaks.
Everyone suffered different levels of altitude sickness, headaches, dizziness, feeling sleepy, with one person badly nauseated and having dry heaves.
“I’m highly elated and proud of our guys for hanging in there,” Coloma said.
As for visitors to Mauna Kea, he recommends heeding warning signs and not going beyond them, having a plan, doing research and being prepared for the environment.
Coloma said this search and rescue had a good ending, but sometimes two weeks of searching comes up empty-handed.
He said the Arizona man told the crew, “Thank you guys so much. I wouldn’t have made it.”
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