Two hikers survived falling 800 feet down an icy slope and spending two nights in subfreezing temperatures in the San Jacinto Mountains near Idyllwild before being rescued on Monday, March 3, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.
The man, in an interview from his hospital bed at Desert Regional Medical Center with Fox/11’s Stu Mundel, said he and his female companion were about 300 feet from Tahquitz Peak, elevation 8,900 feet, when they slipped backwards.
“We held on to each other and tumbled down,” the man said.
“We were just trying to shield each other and shield ourselves,” said the woman, who also spoke from a hospital. She said they did not have enough food and water or proper clothing.
The hikers were not identified by name. They were expected to recover, the Sheriff’s Department said.
The Riverside County Sheriff Aviation Unit posted video of the rescue on its Instagram page and described the operation. The Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit posted a video on Facebook.
After the hikers called 911, Mountain Rescue members hiked in and stayed with them, providing them with food and clothing and built a fire. Helicopters from the Sheriff’s Department, Cal Fire and the Orange County Fire Authority attempted rescues Saturday and Sunday, but high winds and snow held them back.
The hikers were moved to a lower elevation, where the Mountain Rescue members waited for more favorable weather.
On Monday, the hikers were hoisted out in stokes baskets in a delicate operation among the pine trees.
Rescuers from San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles counties also assisted.
“Over 20 Mountain Rescue team members hiked in to save these injured victims who most definitely would have died from exposure to the elements,” Sheriff Chad Bianco wrote on Instagram. “This was a very long, and coordinated effort with amazing partners and volunteers. Outstanding job by all.”
The Sheriff’s Department reminded hikers to be prepared for unexpected changes in the weather.
