California Department of Parks and Recreation rescued six people in three separate incidents over the four-day holiday.
On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, State Parks completed two separate rescues. The first began about 12:30 p.m. when State Parks received a report of three hikers in distress without water on the Skyline Route leading from the valley floor in Palm Springs to Long Valley near the Palm Springs Tramway’s mountain station at the 7,400-foot level.
Rangers made contact with the hikers about two hours later. The distressed hikers were given water and were then able to hike out on their own, under the guidance of the rangers. The three male subjects ranged in age from their mid-20s to mid-50s and all were from Desert Hot Springs.
The second Thanksgiving rescue started about 3:30 p.m. after State Parks received a report of a lost hiker near San Jacinto Peak.
The male hiker in his 50s from Los Angeles got separated from his wife and child as he descended from the peak. Rangers found him about three hours later uninjured and escorted him back to safety in the dark.
On Friday, Nov. 27, about 9:45 p.m., State Parks received another call of lost hikers near Wellman Cienega.
Three rangers and a volunteer were called out for the rescue. A man and woman in their early 20s from Irvine were found at 2 a.m. Saturday near the Pacific Crest Trail and Strawberry Junction trails.
The temperature in their location with the wind chill was below zero and they were suffering from extreme hypothermia. Without the proper clothing in these temperatures, hikers, such as this couple, are putting their lives in jeopardy.
After being found, they were given dry clothing and warmed up in the field before making their decent to Humber Park with the assistance of the rangers. All parties involved arrived safely at Humber Park about 5:15 a.m. and were driven back to Palm Springs.