Injured hiker airlifted from popular Bump & Grind Trail
RANCHO MIRAGE — A hiker was seriously injured and eventually airlifted from a popular desert hiking trail this morning, Sunday, March 17. The remote area rescue happened on the Bump and Grind Trail, south of Rancho Mirage and west of Palm Desert.
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Nearly two dozen Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters, along with CHP and other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the area around 9:15 a.m., after receiving reports of a seriously injured hiker.
Based on the hiker’s injuries, CHP’s H60 was called in to airlift the victim from the trail and transport the injured hiker to an area hospital. Cal Fire described the victim’s injuries as serious, but did not specify the nature or extent of the hiker’s injuries.
None of the involved agencies have released any further information or details about the accident or rescue.
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Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.
The hiker’s injury was a shattered tibia plateau. She is very grateful for the assistance of passing hikers Marcus and Susan and for the paramedics and the CHP personnel who were thoughtful and professional in their response. She is also grateful for the medical team at Eisenhower for the subsequent surgery and care. It was a seemingly freak injury to an otherwise fit hiker.
May I add parts of this into my article, Michael?
-TM