Full Notification

Three hikers were reported missing in the Angeles National Forest at 10:45PM Monday night, and were found by Sheriff's Search and Rescue teams at 8:40AM Tuesday morning.

Family members notified Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station deputies that the men were supposed to return by 6:00PM Monday night, but were missing. The hikers are male residents of Los Angeles and Torrance, ages 32, 45, and 50.

The men began their hike at 9:00 A.M. Monday morning and planned on completing it by 6:00 P.M.

The Montrose Search and Rescue team and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were activated at 11:00 P.M. Monday night, and immediately began their foot search of the area in the dark.

Reserve sheriff's deputies and civilian volunteers compromise most of the team members, volunteering their time on a moment's notice, using their mountaineering experience and skills, as well as their personal time to help strangers in harm's way.

Search & Rescue team members found one of the hiker’s vehicles in the Mount Waterman area and a second was found at the Devil’s Canyon Trail head near Mile Marker 50.50 on Angeles Crest Highway. The hikers had possibly intended to hike a one-way, 15-mile day hike from one vehicle to the other and had not taken gear to stay overnight.

The search teams began their search near Mount Waterman and inserted a second rescue team into the Devil’s Canyon area at 3:00 A.M.

Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station patrol deputies and a Sheriff's Aero Bureau patrol helicopter are assisted with the search.


Family members said one of the three hikers has extensive survival and backpacking experience, the group has a compass, and that each man was equipped with a backpack. Two of the men are not experienced hikers.

"It's a very rugged area," said Sheriff's Montrose Search and Rescue Team member Steve Goldsworthy. "In some places there is no trail, it's just slate and rock."

Ground crews and helicopters found the men in Devils' Canyon at 8:40AM Tuesday.

KCBS-TV 2 and KTLA-TV 5 periodically showed visuals of the Search and Rescue operation from their news helicopters.

For further information contact Montrose Search and Rescue Team member Steve Goldsworthy at Crescenta Station, 818-248-3464.


"The sheriff's volunteer Search & Rescue Team members throughout Los Angeles County work closely with Sheriff's patrol helicopters and Air-5 rescue helicopter deputies, and Emergency Services Detail paramedics, and make rescues on a regular basis," said Sheriff's Reserve Chief Mike Leum.

The Air-5 Rescue helicopter crews and eight Search and Rescue teams of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department average about 350 search and rescue missions every year, making it one of the most active counties for search and rescue missions in the nation.


Sergeant Mike Thomas
Captain Mike Parker
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
(323) 267-4800
http://www.lasd.org
[email protected]
Twitter @LASD_News http://twitter.com/#!/LASD_News
http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment

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Enjoy Nature - Plan your Hike by filling out the Sheriff's Department's Hiking Plan Sheet:
Hiking/Camping is a fun way to get family and friends together to enjoy the outdoors, and to get some physical activity. However, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. You should tell family and friends what your plans are and provide a list of who will be going with you.

That’s why the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind the residents of Los Angeles County that having a hiking / camping plan is crucial to survival in case of an emergency.

Before you leave, please fill out Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue – Hiking Plan sheet and provide to a loved one to hold onto just in case something happens to a member of your hiking/camping expedition. You can download the form by visiting

http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_163961.pdf

If you would like more information on how to prepare for your hiking / camping trip, please visit the Center for Disease Control’s camping website at

http://www.cdc.gov/family/camping/




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