Crime & Safety

Man Dies While Hiking with Scouts Near Ramona

The man was part of a father-son group on a Boy Scout hike in the remote area north of Ramona on Saturday.

A group of Boy Scouts and their fathers hiking in the rugged and remote terrain of Black Mountain Truck Trail on Saturday morning called 911 to report that one of the adults was unresponsive and CPR was in progress, according to Adam Pollock of Intermountain Fire & Rescue.

The man in his mid-40s is reported to have died at the scene. Sheriff's Lt. Jim Duffy reported Sunday night that a medical examiner was called to the scene before the man was airlifted out of the area by Mercy Air. The man's name has not yet been released. The troop was from the city of San Diego, according to a spokesman for the San Diego-Imperial Boy Scouts office on Tuesday.

Fire vehicles were unable to reach the remote location, but two helicopters from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department were able to land near the group to deliver rescue units, Pollock said. The man was put on a gurney and loaded into one of the helicopters and flown a short distance to a landing zone that was established at the intersection of Pamo Road and Black Mountain Truck Trail.

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Medics from Mercy Air were waiting at the landing zone and took over patient care. A total of three helicopters participated in the rescue, Pollock said.

Pollock said the group was on a practice hike preparing for a three-day trip in May, and the Boy Scouts ranged in age from 14-17.

Find out what's happening in Ramonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Julie Pendray contributed to this report.


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