Hikers Lost off Trail
April 04, 2024
Upper Skyline near Tramway
2024-008
Written by: Blake Rankin
The call for available RMRU members went out at 8:30pm for a party of three hikers off trail and unable to travel due to terrain and weather. The three males started the Skyline trail in Palm Springs at 4:30am without crampons or ice axe. Once they reached an elevation where they encountered snow on the trail, they began to follow a previous hiker’s tracks.
The three hikers lost the tracks and started to ascend “Notch 2” Southeast of Grubs Notch. They stopped above a section of 4th class rock and reported their position with cell phone service to 911. The subjects built a small fire and reported that they were uninjured but could not travel due to the fall risk in frozen conditions. Riverside Sheriff’s Helicopter Recue 9 was not able to fly due to the deteriorating weather of an incoming storm forecasted to last through the next 36 hours.
Four RMRU members assembled at the Arial Tramway valley station and were on the tram at 10:30pm. Colby set up base while Matt, Blake and Solan headed down the trail from the tram to Grubbs Notch. Snow conditions had hardened, necessitating crampons and Ice axe for safe travel. The team descended Grubbs and navigated to the cell phone coordinates that marked the last known position of the hiking party.
The team made voice contact and began ascending the snowy col arriving at the subjects bivy at 1am. The subjects were in adequate physical and mental condition to attempt hiking back to the Tramway. So, the team fashioned hasty harnesses for the subjects and rigged a single rope lower in steep terrain of mixed rock and ice. The team performed a total of four 300-foot lowers to deposit the subjects onto the snow-covered trail. Members and subjects then roped up into two parties, traversed to Grubbs and climbed out. Temperatures were 10-15F and wind gust to 50mph. All Members and subjects arrived at the top of the tram at 7:30am in the morning.
RMRU Members Involved: (Colby Coryell, Matt Frenken, Blake Rankin, and Solan Watts)