Lost Hikers Deer Springs Trail
January 16, 2026
Deer Springs Trail, Idyllwild, CA
2026-005
Written by: Andy Hayt
On Friday at 8:00 PM RMRU received a callout for two stranded hikers on the Deer Springs trail, approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead. This callout came as the first major winter storm of the 2026 season was moving in, and it had already snowed approximately 6” in Idyllwild when the first searchers arrived at the trailhead around 10:00 PM. This was a busy night for RMRU as mission 2026-004 was taking place on the other side of the mountain to rescue two individuals on Skyline trail.
The two hikers had summited Mt. San Jacinto via Deer Springs trail, having started their hike at 2:00 AM on the 16th (they had been out for approximately 23 hours by the time we walked them out on the 17th) and were caught in the storm as they descended back to their car. They did not expect conditions to deteriorate as quickly as they did, and when their flashlight batteries died, they were unable to continue locating the trail due to quickly accumulating snow cover. They made the decision to shelter in place on the trail and call for Search and Rescue (SAR).
RMRU teams deployed from the trailhead at approximately 10:30 PM and reached the subjects by 11:30 PM. When we reached them, one subject was exhibiting signs of hypothermia and steps were taken to rewarm the individual before starting the hike back down to the trailhead. Hikers and searchers were back to the trailhead parking lot by 1:00AM. The hikers were evaluated by AMR and Idyllwild Fire and released to begin their drive home.
RMRU would like to remind hikers to always check detailed weather reports before setting out, as conditions in the mountains can change rapidly. These hikers did the right thing by calling 911 when they realized they were in trouble and were staying put. They were exactly where they said they would be and searchers were able to locate them without any issues.
RMRU Members Involved: (David Altenburg, Coby Brown, Ed Gelabert, Andy Hayt, Stephanie Robertson, and Richard Yocum)
Other Agencies Involved: (AMR and Idyllwild Fire Department)