Kern County Deputies Hoist Injured Motorcyclist from Desert Canyon

Kern County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a helicopter rescue of a severely injured motorcyclist trapped in a remote desert canyon on Sunday afternoon, according to video released by the department.

The Sheriff’s Office said its Search and Rescue helicopter, Air-5, launched from the department’s hangar to reach an off-highway vehicle area northeast of Sand Canyon at the request of the Kern County Fire Department.

“Kern County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue helicopter Air-5 responded from the Sheriff’s hangar to an inaccessible off-highway vehicle (OHV) area northeast of Sand Canyon at the request of the Kern County Fire Department,” the Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.

The department said fire personnel had asked for help locating and accessing the injured rider, who ground-based EMS units could not reach because of the terrain.

“Fire personnel requested assistance in locating and accessing an injured motorcycle rider who was unable to be reached by ground EMS units due to the challenging terrain,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

After the helicopter crew hoisted the victim to safety, an ambulance waiting at the intersection of Highway 14 and Pine Tree Canyon Road transported the rider to a local emergency room for treatment.

The Kern County rescue was one of several backcountry emergencies in California that same weekend. In Big Sur, three hikers were airlifted overnight after becoming lost and disoriented at Limekiln State Park, with one suffering a medical emergency. Big Sur Fire received a satellite 911 call requesting assistance, and crews spent roughly 90 minutes cutting through overgrown trails with machetes and chainsaws to reach the group.

Earlier this month, an injured rock climber also required a helicopter evacuation after falling from Power Dome, a large granite formation in the Sierra Nevada, and needing medical treatment.