Lost Hiker Deer Springs Trail
April 13, 2024
Near Idyllwild, San Jacinto Mountains
2024-009
Written by: Donny Goetz
The call came out around 6:45 pm for two hikers lost off the Deer Springs trail. There was a light storm on the mountain bringing freezing rain conditions at the trailhead and snow around the 7,200’ elevation. Our subjects reported experiencing altitude sickness and that they were very cold and not prepared to survive unsheltered in this storm.
One subject’s phone had service and we were provided with their GPS coordinates prior to entering the field. Two RMRU members started around 8:45 pm with two more following 15 minutes later. We ascended through the darkness in the storm approximately 3 miles and 2,000 feet until we were level with our subject’s last known position. Team one broke off the trail around the 7,600’ elevation and navigated cross-country through snow drifts up to thigh deep in places. One member of team one sustained an ankle injury, slowing their pace.
Team two caught up with team one just as team one was making contact with the missing hikers. They were found approximately 20 minutes off the trail in a steep ravine wearing light trail runners, lightweight pants, and windbreaker jackets. Their clothes were soaked through, and they were experiencing the initial stages of hypothermia. Both RMRU teams had carried in extra food, water, and dry warm clothes for the hikers.
We gave them some food, warm and dry clothing, and got them to move back up toward the trail. They struggled early on across the rugged terrain but once back to the trail we could move faster which helped them warm back up.
The storm broke around midnight as we hiked back down the mountain, arriving back to the trailhead around 3:00 am. The subjects were examined by Idyllwild Fire EMTs and released without further medical care.
RMRU Members Involved: (Colby Coryell, Matt Frenken, Donny Goetz, Eric Holden, and Blake Rankin)