Nature of Incident: Lost Hiker Rescued Near Mt. Pinos
Report Number: 18-137758
Location: Los Padres National Forest / Mt. Pinos
Date & Time: Sept. 2, 2018 @ 6:30 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Lockwood Valley substation, Sheriff’s
Aviation Unit, Fillmore Sheriff’s Search and Rescue
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Adam Ramsey Washington State 19
Narrative:
Lockwood Valley Deputies worked with the Sheriff’s Aviation Unit and Fillmore Sheriff’s Search
and Rescue Sunday evening to locate a missing hiker in the Los Padres National Forest.
A friend of one of the missing hikers contacted the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Lockwood
Valley substation and reported Adam Ramsey was lost while hiking in the area of Mt. Pinos.
Ramsey had hiked to the Mt. Pinos lookout with a group of friends. On the return trip Ramsey
became separated from the group and became disoriented. As night fell, he attempted to find his
way back to the trail but was unsuccessful. Ramsey made the right choice and found a clearing
in which to signal aerial search crews. Ramsey’s friends returned to the trailhead parking lot and
notified the Sheriff’s Office.
Ramsey was unfamiliar with the area and was not prepared to spend the night in the forest. Two
deputies from the Lockwood Valley substation, the Sheriff’s Aviation unit and members of the
Fillmore Search and Rescue team responded. The Sheriff’s Aviation unit conducted an aerial
search and was able to quickly locate Ramsey because of his efforts to signal the helicopter.
The Fillmore Search and Rescue team had responded and established a command post in the
parking lot of the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base. A sheriff’s helicopter coordinated the rescue effort with
ground units and completed the operation just before dark as temperatures fell.
The Lockwood Valley substation, Sheriff’s Aviation Unit and the Fillmore Search and Rescue
team would like to commend Ramsey for getting to an area that would make him more visible to
the helicopter and his efforts to signal the helicopter once it was on scene. Ramsey’s actions
helped rescue crews locate him quickly. Otherwise, the situation could have resulted in a difficult
and extended search and rescue effort.
Page 2 of 2
Prepared by: Deputy Robert Steele
News Release Date: September 4, 2018
Media Follow-Up Contact: Deputy Robert Steele
661-245-3829
[email protected]
Approved by:
Captain James Fryhoff
