Injured Hiker on Devil’s Slide Trail
July 18th, 2026
Devil’s Slide Trail, Idyllwild
2026-24
Written by: Richard Yocum
I had just wrapped up managing a search for a missing person on Palomar Mountain in San Diego County and was making my drive north to Idyllwild when at about 1:30 pm I got the callout for an injured hiker on the Devil’s Slide Trail in Idyllwild. RMRU had 5 members able to respond. Riverside Sheriff’s Office (RSO) Aviation was not available. We had GPS coordinates from a 911 text stating that the hiker was injured, stranded on steep terrain, and requesting SAR emergency. They were unable to make or receive phone calls, presumably due to lack of cell service. Knowing that Wayne from Pine Cove would likely already be responding, I phoned him while driving. We made plans to be a hasty team of two and head up the trail from Humber Park to find and assess the needs of the hiker, while Nathaniel, Will, and Dave were en route and not expected until later. Just as I walked into our Command Post (CP) at the Idyllwild Fire station, I learned that the hiker who made the 911 text was not injured and did not need any assistance. He said that the request for help was accidental and he did not know how that happened. I let the rest of RMRU know that we were standing down and those already en route should turn around.
RMRU Members Involved: Dave Bever, Wayne Clark, Nathaniel Desforges, Will Pendleton, Richard Yocum
Other Agencies Involved: RSO personnel, Idyllwild Fire Protection District for CP