A bicyclist who took a spill while riding on a mountain trail in the Cleveland National Forest near Temescal Valley Thursday suffered injuries that required firefighters to mount a rescue operation.
The remote rescue call was received at 3:30 p.m. Thursday west of Temescal Valley, off of Indian Truck Trail, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency stated that several engine crews were sent to the location and initiated the rescue by hiking several miles up the trail to find the man, whose identity was not disclosed.
Attempts were made to dispatch a sheriff’s helicopter or a Cal Fire chopper crew to the site to perform a hoist rescue and expedite recovery of the bicyclist, but rapidly deteriorating weather conditions prohibited them from flying, according to reports from the scene.
An Orange County Fire Authority helicopter crew agreed to attempt the rescue, but just before 5 p.m., ground crews located the victim, who had suffered minor injuries and indicated that he could make it down the mountain with assistance, officials said.
The operation was expected to wrap up by 6 p.m.