Rare NSP Green Merit Stars awarded following critical trail rescue near Folsom
Four members of the American River Bike Patrol were honored Saturday during the National Ski Patrol Mother Lode Region Awards Banquet, receiving recognition for their dedication to trail safety, volunteer service and lifesaving rescue efforts along one of the region’s busiest recreational corridors.
Jim Margolis was named Outstanding Bike Patroller of the Region, while Kathie Mahdavi earned honors as Outstanding Bike Host of the Region. Chris Warren and Rick Tower were each awarded the NSP Green Merit Star, a distinction rarely awarded within the National Ski Patrol and reserved for patrollers who apply their training in genuinely difficult and hazardous rescue situations.
The honors stem from a dramatic rescue last August on the heavily traveled Lake Natoma Loop trail near Folsom.
According to the American River Bike Patrol, Warren and Tower came upon a cyclist who had gone over his handlebars and suffered severe chest injuries, including a punctured lung. By the time the pair reached him, the cyclist was in severe shock with dangerously low blood oxygen levels and no detectable pulse in his hands.
As the emergency unfolded, Tower worked to secure the scene while riders continued barreling through blind corners on the trail, refusing to slow down even as ambulances arrived on the pathway. Warren immediately began a trauma assessment and monitored the cyclist’s vital signs every five minutes while awaiting additional emergency responders.
When a California State Parks ranger arrived, Warren assisted in assembling and administering oxygen the patient urgently needed. Within three minutes, the cyclist’s oxygen levels reportedly climbed from critical to manageable levels.
The injured rider later spent several days in the intensive care unit at Sutter Roseville Medical Center and is now recovering.
“He’s alive in no small part because two volunteer bike patrollers were on the trail that morning. This is what our patrollers train for. Every shift, every mile, every red shirt with a white cross on the trail — it adds up to moments like this,” the organization shared in announcing the awards.
The rescue also highlighted the often-overlooked role volunteer bike patrols play across the Sacramento region’s growing network of recreational trails, where riders, runners and families use the pathways daily for commuting, exercise and recreation.
Founded in 2020, the American River Bike Patrol is a volunteer public safety and trail stewardship organization operating under the umbrella of the National Ski Patrol. The organization works in partnership with local parks agencies and law enforcement while patrolling recreational trails and bike paths throughout Sacramento County and surrounding communities.
What began as assistance efforts alongside Sacramento County Parks and park rangers on the American River Parkway has expanded into one of the region’s largest volunteer trail patrol operations. Today, members patrol more than 350 miles of recreational trails throughout Northern California.
Their patrol areas include the American River Parkway, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, Auburn State Recreation Area, the Johnny Cash Trail in Folsom, the El Dorado Trail, Roseville bike paths and Sacramento city trails.
Members are trained volunteers who provide emergency first aid, bike repair assistance, trail directions, safety education, trail etiquette guidance and hazard reporting to authorities. They also support emergency incidents and major public events throughout the region.
For many trail users, the patrol members are recognizable by their uniforms and highly visible presence along the pathways, often assisting stranded cyclists, helping injured riders, identifying unsafe trail conditions or coordinating with emergency responders during medical incidents.
Beyond emergency response, the organization also conducts educational outreach programs, including the American River Bike Academy, and distributes free bicycle helmets during community events aimed at improving rider safety and awareness.
The patrol has also earned national recognition through the National Ski Patrol and has been honored as one of the top bike patrol programs in the country.
More information about the organization, volunteer opportunities and trail safety programs is available at americanriverbikepatrol.org.
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