A mountain biker riding somewhere off designated paths in the Cleveland National Forest just north of Lake Elsinore overturned Monday, suffering injuries that required firefighters to mount a rescue operation to extricate him.
The stranded cyclist call was received at 4:35 p.m. in hilly terrain within a mile of Billings and Carver lanes, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said the victim, whose name was not disclosed, “crashed” on a hillside, leaving him unable to make it down on his own.
Several engine crews reached the trailhead a short time later and requested assistance from a sheriff’s “Rescue-9” helicopter crew to perform a hoist recovery to retrieve and transport the bicyclist to a staging area along the forest boundary, according to reports from the scene.
The hoist rescue was completed around 5:30 p.m.
The extent of the man’s injuries could not immediately be confirmed.
He was expected to be taken to nearby Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment.