LAKEPORT – A motorcyclist injured in a crash on Cow Mountain Saturday became the focus of a search and rescue effort.

The Lakeport Fire Protection District reported late Saturday that it received a report of an injured dirt bike rider in the Cow Mountain Recreation Area at about 11:30 a.m. that day.

The initial reports on the injured biker’s location and status were vague, with one unconfirmed report stating that he was being transported by ATV to the Mendo-Lake Road, according to the fire district.

Lakeport ambulance 5012 arrived first on scene at Mendo-Lake Road and trail 25 at 11:51 a.m., at which time reporting parties told paramedics that the patient was 1.5 miles down a “black diamond” trail and ATVs could only travel half a mile due to poor road conditions and trees across the trail.

Under the direction of Fire Chief Ken Wells, Helicopter REACH 6 conducted a flyover to search for the injured party but without success, fire officials said.

Four Lakeport firefighters, including two paramedics, began walking down the trail to search for the injured person. Shortly into the operation, rescuers came upon other dirt bike riders; they advised the patient was located several miles down the trail and had a shoulder injury that prevented him from riding out, according to the report.

By 12:30 p.m., the firefighters still hadn’t located the man, and officials said they resource orders for both Lake County Search and Rescue and a California Highway Patrol rescue helicopter from Redding.

At approximately 1:41 p.m., following another hour of searching, paramedics located the man after hiking 2.8 miles over harsh terrain, the district reported.

The paramedics found the man, who is in his 30s, with an isolated shoulder injury caused by losing control of a dirt bike and striking a tree. He had walked nearly two miles from the accident site before being located.

After a thorough patient assessment, paramedics decided to walk the patient out due to an extended arrival time for air resources, the fire district reported.

A Lakeport volunteer firefighter’s ATV and sheriff’s office ATV had traveled down trail 25 as far as possible before road conditions became too severe. After splinting the injured extremity, paramedics walked with the patient to awaiting ATV equipment, which then transported the patient to the ambulance.

Lakeport Fire reported that the patient was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital by Lakeport ambulance 5012 for definitive treatment shortly before 3 p.m.

The patient was wearing full protective equipment, including body armor and helmet, which likely reduced injury severity, according to the district.

No injuries to emergency responders were reported and law enforcement is conducting the accident investigation.

Agencies involved in the successful operation included Lakeport Fire, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, CHP and REACH air ambulance.

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