Lost Hikers off Trail
September 29, 2022
Marion Mountain Trail, San Jacinto Mountains
2022-029
Written by: Matt Frenken
On 9/29/2022, Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit received a call for service for two lost hikers near Marion Mountain Trail at 2100 hours. Team Members responded to the call. Upon arriving at the command post at the Marion Mountain trailhead, team members James and Matt were selected as Team 1 with the assignment to try and locate the missing hikers, evaluate any injuries and if needed call for support from Team 2 (Eric and Steven) with Coby running the Command Post.
As Team 1 began hiking up the Marion Mountain Trailhead, two headlamps were identified coming down the trail and confirmed to belong to our two lost hikers. As both hikers were uninjured, James and Matt proceeded to escort the subjects back to the trailhead where they were met by RCSD deputies who took the two hikers back to their vehicle.
It was later determined that after receiving instructions to stay put and that people were coming to rescue the lost hikers, the subjects got cold and saw what looked to be a trail and decided to follow it. The subjects are fortunate that the trail that they decided to follow was the correct one and that this mission had a good ending, and no one was injured. Mission Completed 2330.
RMRU Members Involved: (Coby Brown, James Eckhardt, Matt Frenken, Eric Holden, and Steven Rider)