RMRU rescues disoriented hiker

A hiker who started his hike at about 7 a.m. from the desert floor in 110-degree heat with only two liters of water, required rescue at about the 3,500-foot level of the Skyline Trail according to Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit volunteer Ralph Hoetger. RMRU was called out at about 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19.

The single hiker identified in a sheriff’s press release as Long Nguyen of Antelope, Calif., became disoriented and lost after leaving the trail and was stranded on an outcropping of rock.

A sheriff’s aviation unit spotted Nguyen around 2 p.m. but was unable to extract him because of his position. They relayed coordinates to RMRU volunteers who hiked up to the individual reaching him around 4 p.m. The team hiked him down to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway desert station, completing the rescue at around 7:30 p.m. Nguyen was uninjured and required no medical treatment.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department advises hikers to carry proper equipment, especially sufficient water for summer hikes on the mountain.