This article was published in the July 28th edition of the Ridgecrest Daily Independent:
"CLMRG assists in two rescues
China Lake Mountain Rescue Group volunteers participated in two joint searchand- rescue operations with Inyo County Search and Rescue in the past week.
According to a CLMRG press release, the first was July 19 when CLMRG responded to the Mt. Whitney trail for 45-year-old Viven Tran, who had separated from her party while day climbing the 14,505-foot peak and failed to return to the trail head.
The team started up the trail at 1:30 a.m. July 20 and found the subject at the 12,000-foot elevation before sunrise. Tran reportedly had taken the wrong trail and descended incorrectly to the west. Once realizing her mistake she turned around and ascended back to east. Although cold and tired, she was able to hike down on her own.
The team also responded to a request from Inyo County July 24 to assist in a search for another missing hiker, 31year-old Thomas Heng of San Rafael. He was reportedly climbing the 14,042-foot Mt. Langley southwest of Lone Pine July 22, when he did not return. Teams from CLMRG, Inyo, Sierra Madre, Montrose, San Dimas, Sequoia and Yosemite search and rescues either hiked-in or were flown via Park Service helicopters to the subject's last known location near the summit to conduct the search. Heng's body was discovered July 25 near the 11,500-foot elevation. SAR team members converged on the accident site, confirmed the victims identity, and subsequently arranged a helicopter from Sequoia/Kings Canyon to pick up the victim using a 200-foot long line. The death, from an apparent fall, is still under investigation.
China Lake Mountain Rescue Group is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization affiliated with the Kern County Sheriff 's Office and a member of the Mountain Rescue Association."
